


In Another Time

by theonewhosins



Category: Call of Duty
Genre: AU, I will try and please you all, Light smut here and there, M/M, More bromance, Multi, Normal related life AU, Not the longest but.., Oh geeeez, Slight NiDe?, Slow TaNi build, These babies need a break from pshyco zombies, Tiny abuse, decided to make chapters, lots of fluff, ride - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-12
Updated: 2016-09-14
Packaged: 2018-06-01 20:21:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 31,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6535024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theonewhosins/pseuds/theonewhosins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Somewhere in another timeline, in a place free of zombies and war, there were a group of friends who lived out their lives as 'normally' as they could.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The dice keep on rolling

**Author's Note:**

> I'm trying! First few chapters might not be the best for me, but I am honestly trying my best to improve!  
>  
> 
> but seriously, I hope you enjoy :D 
> 
>  
> 
> Origins set characters, since everyone just loves young team kickass.

_Thunder boomed and lightning flashed out over the vast cloudy grey sky, rain pelting down on the earth's once soft surface, now thick and moist with mud._

A rather average looking blonde male suddenly came rushing through, running, practically throwing himself to get through the mud which slowed him down, his ocean blue eyes wide with fear once he seemed to realized he wasn't moving as fast as he wanted to. His breathing became erratic, hysterical almost, as he frantically searched the forest surrounding him. 

 

Nothing. Nobody in sight.

 

The young male slowly and shakily freed himself of the mud, standing up properly and checking his surroundings once again.  
He wasn't being chased anymore? He must have lost them far back and he didn't even realize it. A tiny laugh broke through the man's lips, a smile forming soon after. He did it? He did it!  
He was free! He was-

A loud groan like screech from behind him pierced through the area, cutting off his laughter and rendering him immobile.  
Ever so slowly he began to turn, the horror in his eyes evident as he came face to face with the thing he was running from in the first place.

What once could be described as a 'human' was no more, it's rotting flesh hanging off in bits and pieces on the visible parts of its form, the tattered and dirty clothing not doing a very good job at hiding the monster's very clearly exposed broken bones and half decayed organs. A missing arm didn't seem to bother the creature either, as it's lifeless eyes were fixated on the human before him. 

The zombie shambled forward, causing the man to intake a sharp breath and stumble backwards, a small yelp leaving him as he fell back into the mud. He needed to get out of here before that thing got him, before-

He looked around for an escape, but unfortunately what he saw wasn't anything he would've liked. 

_more of them_ Everywhere. Coming from seemingly nowhere, all in view to show that they had blocked just about every possible exit he could've taken. They walked forward, all eager for fresh food as the reached out and groaned. 

Terror took over and the man began screaming, calling out for help- for someone. something. But his screams fell on deaf ears as the undeads cries of hunger only increased. 

A zombie took hold of him and that was that, another scream left the male but was quickly silenced by a fellow zombie happily biting into his jugular and ripping it out with ease, gurgling noises came forth instead of screaming whilst the rest of the group of zombies dug in, all satisfied with their prize of catching a _human._

 

Dempsey stepped in front of the TV and frowned, blocking the other's from viewing as he tapped his foot in an impatient manner.

Nikolai and Richtofen whined, both making gestures at Dempsey to move out of the way so they could continue watching the movie, But Tank just wasn't having it. He snatched the remote away from his Russian friend and turned off the TV, glaring at them before starting.

"Do you two have any idea what time it is?"

Nikolai and Richtofen shared a glance at each other before looking around for a sorce that told them the time. It wasn't super late, right? Besides the movie was just getting good.

The American let out a soft grunt before growling out in annoyance. "It's 3:45 in the fucking morning. We all have to get up in three hours and quite frankly, I can't sleep with the sound of a guy screaming bloody murder on a movie."

Richtofen paused at the mention of the exact time and let out a huff, going to shoo the man away, but thought better of it. The way Dempsey's jaw was clenched told him he was serious, and well, Dempsey was the last person you wanted sleep deprived. The man was a ticking time bomb normally, but when he didn't get enough sleep he had an impossibly short fuse, and his anger was ten fold.  
The German slid from his seat and shuffled up to Tank, wrapping his arms around him and rubbing his cheek against the man's firm chest, hoping to settle him down a bit and maybe even get him riled up on something else~..

"Oh come on, its just a movie fluffy bear~.."

Nikolai perked up and stared at his American friend, holding back the urge to just snort and double over laughing. "...fluffy bear....?"

Tank gave a warning glare at Nikolai and idly wrapped his arms around Edward, holding him closer before actually looking at him and replying. "yeah yeah, just a movie. you're gonna be crying in the morning about how tired you are, and I'm the one who's gonna be right beside you to hear it."

Richtofen's loving look changed into a childish pout, his eyebrows furrowing as he let go of Dempsey and grumbled. The bastard really knew how to shut him down in half a second.

"So rude."

"Says the German who's tryin' to get me to back down by seducing me." 

Edward opened his mouth to argue but paused and then just stayed quiet, glaring at his lover.

"that's what I thought."

Tank kept his arms wrapped around Richtofen as he looked at Nikolai and awaited....some kind of response.

 

Sadly he would be waiting a long while if he wanted one, for the Russian had, apparently, grown so bored of the two he had fallen asleep, soft snores escaping him as he mumbled some gibberish about one of his wives. Dempsey always wondered what happened to 'third wife'. 

Edward was astonished how fast the man had fallen asleep, his green eyes studying the Russian as he went to poke him to see if he stirred.

Alas, poor Edward didn't get very far with this, his grumpy fluffy bear wasn't exactly about to just ask nicely for Edward to come lay down.

 

Tank was increasingly getting more and more irritated by the second and before he completely lost his temper he grabbed Richtofen's sides, lifting him up and carrying him bridal style back to their bedroom before tossing him onto the bed. Edward squeaked on contact, shooting a glare at Dempsey before hurriedly going to his side and getting under the covers, his back to Tank as he faced the wall. He hated being carried like that, he felt like a baby and it bothered him to no end.

Oh boy. Dempsey knew that sign anywhere, he had upset Eddie and now he had to litterally beg just to get Edward to look at him. He sighed and rubbed his face before getting into bed beside Edward, scooting over to him and gently tugging on his arm as to turn him around, but the doctor didn't budge. "Edward. Hey. Eddie....hellooo...babe...darling....love, come on, please look at me..."

It was the please that got him, always the damn please. Edward turned and faced Dempsey, a frown on his face as he stared at him. "what."

Tank wrapped his arms around Richtofen and pulled him against his own chest, nuzzling into his hair and mumbling. "Don't be like this Eddie....I'm sorry, okay?"

Dempsey moved down and kissed Edward softly before leaving a trail of kisses to his neck, whispering 'I'm sorry' each and every time his lips came in contact with his skin. 

Damn it all. Edward shuddered and hummed in pleasure, closing his eyes as he leaned his head back, his cheeks turning a bright red. Fucking Dempsey. agh. sometimes he hated how easily he could be manipulated, but the same went for Dempsey when it came down to them both. He pulled back and kissed Tank deeply, mentally scolding himself for giving in. 

Dempsey pulled away slightly and let out a content sigh, closing his eyes and relaxing as he let his thumb trace small soothing circles onto Edward's back. He won~ 

Edward closed his eyes and rested his head on Dempsey's shoulder before wrapping his arms around his love and humming. Tomorrow was gonna be tiring.

"goodnight Edward~"

"goodnight Dempsey...~"

"and before I forget, I call dibs on not going grocery shopping tomorrow...."

 

Edward mentally rolled his eyes. Nobody even went grocery shopping except him. Nikolai was just too lazy, Takeo had recently been getting weird flirty looks from one of the male workers there and that made him uncomfortable to the point where he just refused to go there anymore, and Dempsey always claimed to Richtofen that all the women, even men, would all gather around him and beg him for his number, etc. He also always added, "don't worry babe, nobody can steal me from you~♡" which did in fact make Edward want to go around holding onto Tank's hand and giggle like an idiot while in public just to show off, but he knew better.

Tomorrow it was just him going to the store, and then whatever followed.

Maybe Takeo would agree to join him if they went together.


	2. Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Takeo and Richtofen go shopping, a brat neighbor screws with Nikolai and Dempsey, and nobody wants Richtofen's curry again. What will happen next?
> 
>  
> 
> Really sucky porn in this one, no pun intended.
> 
>  
> 
> __________________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Ducky c: ♡
> 
>  
> 
> EDIT: please lemme know if I need to fix anything! as you can see this chapter was much longer than intended, but once I kept writing i just kept with the flow. It was harder to check and fix due to its length, so I apologize if I missed any errors! I hope you enjoy the stories!
> 
> __________________________

The day started with a big gigantic kick to the face.

Metaphorically speaking.

 

Dempsey had woken up to the soft whimpering of Edward who still was snuggled up against him, and apparently having another one of his all too vivid nightmares. Richtofen was shaking like a leaf, and even though he was clinging to Dempsey for dear life he didn't seem to know that it was a person he was holding. Thus resulting in Edward clawing, shoving, and even hitting poor Dempsey. The Marine wasn't in any pain of course, but he was still tired. Edward continued to fuss about, on the verge of crying out but was silenced by Tank nuzzling him affectionately and whispering sweet words of encouragement, his arms wrapped firmly, but softly, around the doctor's smaller frame.  
Eventually Edward relaxed and fell into a peaceful dreamless state, Which Tank clarified by watching the steady rise and fall of his lover's chest. Satisfied that he had helped his adorably annoying sweetheart, he closed his eyes and smiled, slowly falling back asleep......

 

and then the screeching of an alarm clock sounded out.

 

Tank had opened his eyes once more, bringing a hand to his face and rubbing the little bit of sleep he still had away. And if that didn't help, there was always Edward.

Richtofen had woken up, a loud unhappy cry escaping him as he buried his face into Dempsey's neck and huffed, tears starting to well up in his eyes. For some reason, at times, Edward really was nothing more than a small child. He whined, and threw fits, even stomping his foot when he got frustrated enough. To Tank, it only made him cuter, and he only wanted to hug him to no end when he did act out, a comforting instinct, motherly almost, the thought always made Dempsey frown. If anybody was to be dubbed as motherly, it was Richtofen. Hell, even Takeo. Nikolai and Dempsey? Yeah right. 

Edward opened his eyes and looked up at Dempsey, his beautiful forest green eyes glassy with unshed tears, his usually blank face now confused and on the verge of a pout as he sniffled. The sight made Dempsey's heart clench, sleep and work all forgotten as he moved his hands to Edward's face and gently caressed his cheek, leaning forward and planting a kiss right on his lips. The tears faded, but a few managed to spill and Tank simply brushed them away, mumbling loving words against Edward's lips. When he pulled away, Richtofen let out another whine, though this one wasn't so much upset and more so needy. He kissed Dempsey's neck and started to nibble on it, purposely rubbing his hands up and down his firm chest to get him riled up. Tank bit his lip and tried to push the horny doctor away but to no avail. To be clear, he could have easily pinned Edward down with one hand, but he was just letting the doctor have his fun for the moment. After a few more eager kisses and some rough grinding, (from edward), he glanced over at the clock and then ran his fingers through Richtofen's hair, gently nudging him with his head. He spoke one word, 'work.' , and Eddie didn't appreciate it one bit. He just wanted to stay in bed and lay with Dempsey forever. But he understood, and gave up with the idea of morning sex with another loud whine, for now at least. 

That was only in Dempsey's end, and partly on Richtofen.

Takeo didn't do what Dempsey had done last night, going out to tell the two of his roommates to go to fucking bed because everyone had work litterally in a few hours. No, instead he attempted to sleep. Tried to block out that cursed cheesy movie. But in the end he didn't get much sleep either. He woke up with his head throbbing, and instantly regretted even sitting up so fast. 

Nikolai woke up nearly the same, sleep deprived and stiff from sleeping on the couch in the same position for hours. He wasn't looking forward to today at all.

 

Richtofen, from the nightmare, the alarm clock, and the fact that he couldn't even snuggle with Tank for a few minutes more, set him in an extremely foul mood. The kind where he only could stand one or maybe even two people, and even then he'd act like some wild animal and snap at anybody. 

 

What a great day for everyone.

 

____________________________

 

While the starting day did suck, it gradually got better. There weren't as many people at the supermarket as Edward thought, which put him at ease, and he had convinced Takeo to go with him after giving him and Nikolai some painkillers for their headaches. Dempsey had left Richtofen with a passionate kiss and sweet words, promising him to be home soon so they could spend the rest of the day together. Yes, things were starting to look up, and that sour mood Edward had was rapidly diminishing as he thought about making a special dinner for everyone tonight.

 

Takeo didn't have anything in mind for what he'd like at the moment besides cuddle fish, so Richtofen just figured he'd make something everybody could enjoy.  
While walking down the aisles and getting what they needed, Takeo could have sworn he saw.....something not far behind them, but when he turned and looked he saw nothing. It was probably just a person. He shrugged it off and helped Richtofen, reaching the high selves when he couldn't, and otherwise just making polite company and conversation with his friend.

It wasn't until the Japanese man backed up did he realize that there was an actual person behind him.

Takeo blinked and immediately moved away from the unknown person, apologizing sincerely and looking down at the floor as to not frighten them. He learned that his stare could be quite intimidating most of the time.  
The person said nothing, and after a seemingly long pause of absolute silence, Takeo looked up and gave a small tilt of his head, standing upright. The person he had bumped into, was quite small, especially compared to the Japanese male. Where he, Richtofen, Nikolai, and Dempsey stood around 6'2 or 6'3 (Richtofen being just barely 6'1) the person was only about 4'8. Like the size of a small young adult maybe? He went to say something but the person finally looked up, their big hazel eyes staring at him with an emotion he couldn't necessarily understand...it certainly looked familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Nonetheless, the person was a small girl, short straight ginger hair, and on the thin side. She had a pen tucked behind her ear, and what looked like a piercing on her lower lip, though she looked rather nice and average she gave off the vibe of being extremely shy. When she finally snapped out of her little daze, her cheeks flared up almost instantly, a dark red covering them as she spouted out all sorts of apologies and gibberish.

Takeo just waved it off and said it was okay, offering a small pat on the back for her. She finally calmed down enough to smile at him and utter some actual understandable words. 

"I'm- I'm so sorry about that I didn't- I hadn't realized that..."

Takeo stared at her and then suddenly- 

He smiled.

 

actually smiled.

 

The small woman's heart fluttered and she stiffened, eyes showing that same emotion as earlier. _Fondness, surprise-- Takeo Masaki had a little admirer._ She looked down, her hair falling over her face as she murmured something before taking off, her face bright pink.

 

"What the hell did I miss-"

Takeo glanced at Richtofen and shrugged, eyebrows furrowing as he looked at the basket. "shy girl. did you gather the right bread, Richtofen?" 

Edward nodded before gesturing for his friend to follow, a small smile forming as he told Takeo about the dinner for later on. "I was thinking more of something fancy yet on the casual and home side, but I haven't the slightest clue as to what food suits that description....Maybe some form of pasta- what do you think, Takeo?"

"Fine, but please do not make curry again-" Takeo winced at the thought of Edward's last attempt at making curry. Everyone ended up vomiting, and the only one who could take the actual spice was Nikolai. Even then, that didn't stop his stomach from purging the vile substance out of it's system.

"It wasn't THAT bad! If I recall you all liked it at first.." Edward huffed, offended by his friend's words. He thought he did good for a first try....even if it was pretty bad...

The two chatted about what meals to make all the way out the store, Takeo pausing and going quiet when he saw the man who loved to hit on him walk by. The man didn't seem to notice Takeo there, which was good, because Takeo just about yanked Richtofen to the floor to avoid being seen. It wasn't that the Warrior was scared, it was that, the moment he was spotted, the guy didn't let up no matter what, always Flirting and sending quite obvious actions hinting that Takeo made the man happy in more ways than one.

He was just glad to be out of that damn store.

________________________

 

Over at the household, Nikolai and Dempsey were back from work, Dempsey being a wielder and Nikolai being a rather amazing carpenter. He hated building, that was true, but found he actually had somewhat of specialty when it came to it. It paid well, and it taught him enough to where he could build just about anything. He enjoyed it after awhile, and even made some presents for the others with his own tools. Dempsey didn't even know how he got the job, it was tiring work, but it surprisingly was a great stress reliever. Whenever he was angry or upset, work tired him out and he always felt better afterwards. It was a fun job for him, and he enjoyed it. Richtofen was of course, a doctor, though he didn't study medicines, he was more so a surgeon, and holy shit that paid well. Takeo was a substitute, as odd as that sounded. He enjoyed helping whenever he could, and even though the four of them were practically living a rich life, they all needed something to do rather than sit around being bored. 

Nikolai was resting on the couch in the living room, watching TV and lazily answering the cartoon as it asked him questions.

'do you know where the yellow car is?'

 

"there. right beside you." Nikolai called out with a lazy point towards the screen.

'is it this one?' the character pointed to a blur car.

"No you idiot it is right beside you-"

'is it this one?' The character pointed to a tree

"are you fucking kidding me? why is this even on children's show? are they trying to trick the children into something? what is the point of this?"

'there it is! hooray! you found it!' 

"oh fuck you."

Dempsey walked into the living room fixing his button up shirt, eyebrow raised as he stared at Nikolai. 

"Awh Nikolai, trying to learn the difference between a car and a tree? I knew you could do it. Don't worry pal, one day you'll be big and strong~"

"screw you Dempsey, aren't you suppose to be doing something at the moment. why are you bothering Nikolai."

Tank gave a small grunt and flipped Nikolai off before rolling up his sleeves and heading outside. "Someone has to mow the lawn, and clearly you aren't going too."

Nikolai groaned and turned off the TV, getting up and following after Dempsey. "shut up, american..."

Dempsey laughed and rolled the lawnmower out to the front, kneeling down and starting it up before beginning his work. Nikolai had sat down in one of their lawn chairs, leaning back and watching Tank push the medium-sized contraption around the lawn to cut the grass. It was an especially hot afternoon, and the sun showed no signs of shining any less. Sweat was rolling down the side of Tank's face by the time he was nearly finished, his skin slightly irritated from the grass clippings and the dirt. He sat down beside Nikolai soon as he finished and huffed, wiping away some of the dirt that got on him. How the hell did dirt even...

A loud giggle was all he got for a warning before a water balloon was thrown right at his face. Lemme tell you right now, that shit hurts. 

Nikolai got wet too, unfortunately, and was now sending a death glare at the little girl who was standing a few feet away laughing. The neighbors had a daughter, and she was the biggest brat anybody had ever known. Her name was Samantha, and although she hated them all, she absolutely hated Richtofen the most, which in turn made Dempsey dislike her even more. Her father worked with Richtofen, and apparently there had been some kind of fall out between the two, because they became sworn enemies after that day. 

Samantha ran off, laughing as Dempsey stood up and glanced at Nikolai. 

"I'm gonna go take a shower."

Nikolai nodded and laughed softly, waving Dempsey off in a playful manner. "I think you already did,"

Tank punched Nikolai in the shoulder and dodged being hit back, mumbling something as he went inside.

A car pulled into the driveway and Nikolai tilted his head, smiling slightly as Takeo stepped out with Richtofen. He missed his friends. He'd never admit it though. 

"Friends! I have missed you greatly!~"

dammit.

Richtofen went to the trunk and waved at Nikolai before he began taking out bags of groceries, humming softly as Takeo went and helped. Nikolai thought about helping, but he was too comfortable at the moment. The two walked past Nikolai and said hello, he returned the hello before quickly going and shutting the trunk since there were no more bags to take out. Oh boy, what food would Richtofen make tonight. He was a good cook, but he hoped he didn't make curry again. That was awful.

He went inside and snuck into the kitchen where Takeo was just finishing up putting the food away, standing up properly and fixing his clothing a bit.

"Surpirse! Did you miss me comrade?~" Nikolai wrapped his arms around Takeo and lifted him up, smiling as he felt his Japanese friend squirm and mutter barely audible swears. 

He set him down soon after and gently poked his hair bun, chuckling. "You are so light it reminds me of little child~"

Takeo spun on his heel and stared daggers at Nikolai before walking past him and heading to the stove silently.

Nikolai followed him, whining. "Takeo, come on it was a joke- "

 

Richtofen had gone to find his love, eagerly searching the rooms but sadly finding nothing. Until he heard the shower running, and a sly smile spread across his face.

He quietly entered the bathroom, undressing himself as he listened to Dempsey hum a song. He held back a giggle when he heard Tank groan, slowly slipping into the shower and wrapping his arms around him. _"Hello Ducky~♡"_

Tank nearly jumped but instantly relaxed into Richtofen's hold once he heard his voice, a small happy noise escaping him.  
"Hi there princess~..how was your day?~"

Edward let his hands trail down Tank's stomach slowly as he bit down on his bottom lip, his Dempsey was finally all his. He was so happy, he just wanted to savor the moment a little longer....

"my day was horrible at first...but it's better now~"

Dempsey turned around and cupped Edward's face, smiling as he leaned in and kissed him gently. Edward moved his hands up and wrapped his arms around Dempsey's neck instead, pulling him closer as he kissed back. The soft loving kiss quickly became heated and rough, Tank's hands moving up and down Edward's sides before going to his thighs and lifting him up, pressing him against the wall. Richtofen wrapped his legs around Dempsey's waist and let out a soft groan as he felt Tank's hand grip onto his shaft, slowly beginning to pump up and down. He pulled away from the kiss and shuddered, panting and rolling his hips upward as Tank continued, now going faster as he stared at Edward, watching how his face changed from one of strain to one of pleasure and bliss, his cheeks turning a soft red as he gasped. "Dem-mmmm-psey- Dempsey....! aaaa-aah-" Tank kissed Edward, pumping his hand up and down a bit slower to draw out the moans from Richtofen, twisting his hand near his tip to add friction. Already so close, he'd been untouched for quite some time. Edward let out a loud broken moan, his legs trembling as he clung to Dempsey and buried his face into his chest, drooling and sweating. "i...it...hmh...it feels so good...i-aaaah~" Dempsey laughed softly and nuzzled him, planting kisses against his skin. "You gotta stay quiet Eddie, I'm sure the guys won't appreciate hearing us." 

Richtofen arched up and squeaked, whining as he shook his head. "n-ha. wh-who...cares- I-I'm--" He kissed Dempsey softly, his eyes fluttering shut as he reached his climax, his whole body shaking with pleasure as he thrusted into Dempsey's hand a few more times, riding out his orgasm before going limp and letting out an embarrassed whine, his cheeks flushed as he allowed himself to be set on the floor of the tub gently. 

Tank pulled back and smirked, cleaning himself off and acting as though nothing ever happened. Edward on the other hand, was just watching Dempsey quietly, his eyes narrowed as he slid forward and gently got on his knees, grabbing Dempsey's hips a bit roughly. 

Dempsey hissed and looked down at Edward, his cheeks heating up slightly as be glared at him. "You wouldn't dare. I just got clean you little-"

Edward smirked and wasted no time in taking Dempsey's length into his mouth and sucking hard, his hands rubbing Tank's thighs slowly. Tank sucked in a sharp breath and nearly stumbled backwards, his hands going to Richtofen's head and gently tugging on his hair. "e-eddieee...." 

 

Takeo and Nikolai were finally talking again, or more so, Takeo was finally talking to Nikolai again. They relaxed and watched TV, and though they didn't hear the other two in the shower, they knew what they were doing. It was no secret. Takeo didn't give two shits, and Nikolai just shrugged it off, It wasn't like he was homophobic. He had a small crush on someone that was a guy. sadly. the guy wouldn't notice. he never would, in turn he just kept his admiration for the man at arms length, so he didn't lose him as a friend. Only one thing that he himself didn't realize, was that, _Takeo did notice_. Nikolai didn't think the jap caught on, but in all reality, he caught on the day it started. The hugging, the more playfully attitude whenever he was around, the way he seemed to get just a tad bit more shy, it was all clear. Takeo had started to have a fondness for Nikolai too, but he always kept that underwraps as to why he felt that way. Nobody even knew he had a crush on someone, Let alone could have feelings like that. 

They were both starting to get hungry and were considering on yelling at the two in the shower to hurry up when they both came into view fully clothed, and pretty happy. 

 

Nikolai and Takeo just stared at the two, and Edward clung to Dempsey, raising an eyebrow in question.

Takeo only shook his head and then turned to the TV, a small smile forming on his lips. 

"You two were really loud."

 

He glanced over at them just in time to see Richtofen's face turn red and Dempsey glare at them both. 

 

"can we have dinner now?"


	3. Stupid Cartoons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It seems that Nikolai isn't the only one watching kid shows and getting frustrated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hOLY SHIT I'm SO sorry! 
> 
> I have a really bad case of writers block, but reading all these comments that tell me to keep going encourage me~
> 
> This one might be pretty short, I'm sorry if it isn't as good as the others!
> 
> I'll try and update sooner guys!
> 
> This one is also dedicated to Takeo, so it's more or less has mostly his parts.
> 
> _________________________

Today was the same as any other day.

 

Waking up, Showering, Breakfast, and then leaving to work.

It was all of their daily routines, and though Richtofen stayed at home and worked most the time, he still had to go to the hospital when needed.

Surprisingly, Today everyone had left, but Takeo stayed home.  
He wasn't needed for once, and that was fine by him. He was in too much need of a break from children. Not that he hated them- entirely- but he was just glad to be away from people for a bit.  
He waited until everyone had left before changing into regular pants and a light blue shirt. It actually use to be Dempsey's but it didn't fit the man so he gave it to Takeo.  
...why Takeo was even bothering to wear it, he didn't know. Maybe it was just him being nice- or maybe the shirt was...really really comfortable- Either way, he just ignored it and sat down on the floor of his bedroom, closing his eyes and allowing himself to relax.

it was short lived, as the sound of the front door being slammed open made the man jump up and grab his katana. It was a prized possession that belonged to his grandfather, though after he had passed away, it was given to Takeo. He had become quite the swordsman, or as everyone else called him, 'samurai'. He would have laughed, if he didn't take the sword so seriously. 

He walked toward the front, body tense and ready to attack as the door came into view. He knew that it was locked, and since he was here, the others had left their keys. Whoever it was, clearly meant to enter by force..  
He went to say something but before he could do anything Nikolai popped his head into the doorway, his eyes wide.

"..Nikolai did not mean to do that-"

Takeo's expression turned into one of pure annoyance as he let out a loud grunt and turned back towards his room, walking off.  
That Russian idiot- He couldn't even get a day to himself without the brute barging in. He seemed to hang around Takeo more and more, and whIle the Japanese man didn't mind at times, he got tired of it. "Why are you here- shouldn't you be off building something for your idiotic friends." He spat, though more to himself rather than Nikolai.

Nikolai heard regardless, a frown forming on his face as he closed the front door and locked it, going and walking to Takeo's room. He went right in, glaring at Takeo. "listen Takeo- I shouldn't have to explain anything to the likes of you-.....you......." What he saw, probably shouldn't have made him respond like that. But, Then again.

Takeo had slid off his regular jeans, grabbing a pair of sweatpants and easily putting them on. He felt more comfortable like this. His toned lower half exposed for the bigger man to see it all. Though that isn't what caught his interest. What grabbed his attention, was that Takeo's boxers seemed awfully tight. He hadn't realized Nikolai was there until he heard the Russian talk, then abruptly go quiet. His back was turned, and he turned to look at the other, feeling a bit awkward by his sudden silence. "what happened to your sharp tongue, Nikolai?"

The larger man continued to stare at Takeo, his cheeks bright red before he backed up into the wall, saying something about him going to watch TV before suddenly walking off.

 _'odd'_ Takeo thought, but shrugged it off. It was Nikolai's problem, not his. He went to relax again but found he could not, a deep sigh leaving him. He might as well do something before he lost his mind. He settled on cleaning the house, not that they left it dirty, but they hadn't cleaned in awhile. It felt appropriate, and it was something to do. 

So he got to work, cleaning the kitchen, moping and sweeping while Nikolai sat in the living room with his eyes glued to the TV, the faint sound of Mickey Mouse talking. He really like kid shows it seemed. 

_'Can you kids figure out which item is best for making music? Is it the tincan, the rubber duck, the horn, or the shoe lace?'_

Nikolai gave his answer and Mickey Mouse seemed to deliberately choose exactly what Nikolai said would not be it, because the next second the Russian was raging and saying unholy gibberish. 

Takeo couldn't stop the smile from forming as he tried his hardest to contain his laughter, small snickers leaving him as he set the broom aside and covered his mouth. He was so busy trying not to laugh he didn't hear Nikolai quickly coming from behind him. The next thing he felt were strong arms wrapping around his abdomen before he was lifted off the ground. His first instinct was to not fall and possibly land on his ass, so he twisted around and clung to the form, growling slightly.

Nikolai smiled and held onto Takeo a bit tighter, nuzzling him and laughing. "Aw, Takeo~...I didn't know you cared so much for me~..." 

The Japanese man looked straight at Nikolai, his eyes cold and his voice dripping with venom. _"Russian. If you do not put me down in three seconds I will grab the broom and shove it so far up your-"_ "Easy comrade, Can Nikolai simply not give hug to his favorite person?" Nikolai cut in, looking a bit nervous.

Takeo continued to glare daggers at him, squirming and muttering soft incoherent words.

Nikolai had an idea, he carried Takeo out of the kitchen and to the living room, the TV long since shut down.

"Set me down already you stupid Russian- I said let-"

Nikolai threw Takeo onto the couch, his eyebrows raised ever so slightly. "Such rudeness from someone who is so 'kind'...I think you need another lesson in manners."

Takeo blinked from the soft landing and went to get up, but Nikolai- crawled on top of him? His eyes went wide. What was he doing? He tried to push him off but he didn't budge, he only moved closer, forcing Takeo to lay back fully on the couch, his cheeks flushed dark red. "whatever this is- it is most certainly not amusing...so get off."

Nikolai stayed there, his gaze falling upon Takeo's lips. He would surely die for this- but he couldn't stop thinking about his friend. He hated himself for it for the longest time, but as of lately he had come to accept that he was smitten. It was scary, but with Takeo around, nothing felt truly that bad anymore.  
He hesitated long enough for the smaller male to either punch Nikolai or to get free- but he never did. He stared up at the Russian, like a deer caught in headlights. He didn't know what to do, but he didn't exactly seem to care to leave too soon.

So Nikolai moved closer, their lips inches apart....He was giving Takeo another chance to stop this, to tell him something...anything. 

Takeo was beyond surprised, and he damn near almost gave in as Nikolai drew closer, his eyes fluttering shut as he leaned in the rest of the way and pressed his thin lips against Nikolai's soft, fuller ones. His common sense was buried by the burning desire deep within him, something that never surfaced so fast before. He felt weak, numb on the inside, but on the outside every touch, every kiss was like oil to the fire he had.  
Nikolai reacted immediately, his eyes closing as he kissed back with more force than Takeo had given, his tongue flicking out and licking the other's bottom lip, asking for entrance. Takeo pulled back slightly and gasped for air, which Nikolai gladly took the opening and darted his tongue in, capturing him in another bruising kiss, swirling it around Takeo's and coaxing him into submission. Takeo was blind to all else at the moment, even the fact that he was the bottom and not the top. He felt Nikolai press against him and his senses heightened, a bolt of pleasure rushing through him before be suddenly shoved the other man away and sat up, shaking and panting heavily. _What the fuck was that? What the fuck was that?!?!_ He swallowed nervously, slowly looking up to find Nikolai staring at him with the same confused and surprised expression on his face. 

They both sat there for awhile, afraid to move, afraid to say something wrong..

After some time, Nikolai finally broke the ice, turning the TV on and rubbing his neck shyly as he glanced at Takeo.  
"...TV..?"

Takeo stared at him before sitting beside him and nodding, his face still slightly red. "..TV.."

He and Nikolai stayed still, watching the children's show for some time before the tension finally settled, both now actually relaxed into the couch and occasionally answering the TV as it went on to ask questions. They even laughed as they watched other unusual things happen, pointing them out as the show went along.

By the time Dempsey and Richtofen came home the two had fallen asleep, Takeo resting his head on Nikolai's shoulder while Nikolai had his arm wrapped around the smaller man's waist, holding him close. 

Edward giggled and hugged Dempsey, whispering to him that he'd go get them some blankets before going off to gather said supplies.

Dempsey nodded and crossed his arms, smirking as he stared at the two. Then he had a great idea. He took out his phone and snickered as he snapped a picture of them, smiling.

 

Though he nearly dropped his phone when both of them suddenly sat up and glared, saying the exact same thing at once.

 

"Delete it."


	4. Just a little review--

okay whOOPS

 

Whoever saw the last messed up chapter four, forgive me! 

I accidentally pressed 'post without review' and had a heart attack when I saw it right now.

So i deleted it, and well I'm working on it right now!

I'm so sorry, it was no where near done, so I apologize if you're just here wondering why it stopped not even half way with Dempsey.

 

Sorry again!


	5. Annoyance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone strap in for some dramaaaaa
> 
> choo-choooo!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this wasn't too late was it?
> 
> oh geez.
> 
>  
> 
> I'm all worried now.
> 
> aah-
> 
>  
> 
> enjoy!
> 
> ps. I SHOULD be posting the rest later on today. Maybe tonight? I'm not sure.
> 
> ________________________

Weeks pass, a month has gone by, and it became no secret that Takeo and Nikolai had _finally_ gotten together. Of course upon hearing the 'finally', (from Tank and Edward) both got more than a little defensive, and the whole mess of it ended with playful fighting.

Litteral fighting, Because for them, 'playful fighting' means, 'punch someone as hard as you can and tackle them into the fucking wall'. They laughed afterwards, so nobody took it serious.

But while Nikolai and Takeo slowly got closer and a tad bit more outgoing with their relationship, it seemed that Dempsey and Richtofen began having problems of their own.

This wasn't the first time they had fought, but it was damn well over the eighth time this week.

Takeo and Nikolai were not only sick of the endless bickering, but each time they fought, they both went to their main person. In which, Takeo got a fuming and just about ready to knock out someone Dempsey, while Nikolai got an unstable, sometimes sobbing mess about how stupid of a man Tank was.  
Though no matter how bad the fights got, or how much shit they talked about each other, they never got so far as to have to take a break. They both would be terrified of that, and even when Tank is yelling loud enough to hear four states over, he still means well. He's never called Richtofen anything other and annoying and bratty, It's Richtofen that goes all out with the names. And ohhh boy, does he have some things to call Dempsey. And while Edward never gets too physical with the fights, it's Dempsey that has to control his temper, especially since Eddie loves to add more fire to it, like some sort of game.

Though, it always seemed to end the exact same way. Dempsey feeling so upset with himself that he nearly breaks down, Edward begging for forgiveness and for Tank not to leave him, and then so much love and mushy feeling that you feel like you're watching some kind of dramatic love story.

 

This time, would be the first ever where neither of them even apologized. Not so easily, at least.

 

For whatever reason, Edward had a total stick up his ass today, he was that one lady you see at a fast food restaurant who eats half the meal, then complains that it's too undercooked and demands a refund and another burger. He was getting so bad that Nikolai contemplated kicking him outside until he was done whining, sadly the idea was silenced with a small glare from Takeo. Dempsey just didn't care. It was too much of a burden for him apparently. Eventually they all decided on going out for lunch, a small restaurant nearby that was a regular for when the four of them got to celebrate something or when they just had a day off. Which, they had both. They wanted to celebrate Nikolai and Takeo getting together, and afterwards just relax and have a few drinks. It seemed like a absolutely perfect night, nothing could've messed it up, all they had to do was survive until at least seven or eight pm. Which all of them could easily manage. It was already near seven when Takeo got back with Richtofen, helping him carry some bags inside. He still did his own research at home, they had a spare room dedicated for that exact purpose of him working. Nikolai and Dempsey were getting dressed together, Dempsey laughing as he attempted to try and do something different with his friend's hair. It was very soft, but he just had no clue whatsoever. He tried to style it up- it didn't seem like Nikolai. He brushed some to the side- Haa, nooo. He did everything he could, even put a little pink bow, though the bow worked Nikolai refused to go out like that. Eventually, Dempsey just gave up and sighed, hugging Nikolai and dramatically explaining how his hair was beautiful naturally. His Russian friend just shook his head and smiled, hugging him back and squeezing the life outta his body. Dempsey croaked out a small whine, his arms tightening around Nikolai before he suddenly felt eyes watching him. On instinct he glanced behind him and was about to let out a string of insults but froze when he saw Richtofen. "Hi Eddie, when did you get back?" Edward glared at Tank and scoffed, turning on his heel before walking off. Not even a smile, or, 'Hi, love' ? He frowned and Nikolai set him down, gently pushing him towards the door before casually chuckling. "you feel like a child in my arms-" Tank raised his right hand and let his middle finger show Nikolai how much he appreciated that comment before walking out to find Edward. What was his problem? They had been fighting for awhile, sure, but today, Dempsey felt like making up. He didn't want to fight anymore. He just wanted his Eddie. He went to his and Edward's bedroom, closing the door and sighing as he started to change clothes, going from regular comfy shorts and a muscle shirt to some black jeans and a light baby blue button up shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His brown hair was beginning to have...blonde...? He was confused at first, but just shrugged it off. Everyone else looked fine, and the color wasn't at all noticeable, you'd have to be running your fingers through his hair to even catch a glimpse. He flopped onto his bed and hummed, rolling on his back and closing his eyes in a moment of rest. The door to the bedroom opened and shut, the soft thumps of feet getting closer to the bed heard before suddenly there was someone on top of him, sitting on his lap and eagerly rocking back and forth, their hips rubbing together. Dempsey let out a small huff, his hands gripping at the bed sheets as he let it go on for just a little longer. He hadn't felt anything sexual in a month, too much anger and frustration, he didn't even get angry sex. A small whine above him made it clear of who it was, not that he didn't already know. He knew Edward's body, how he tried to 'seduce', even the movements. He opened his eyes and looked up at Edward, his pants getting tight as he bucked his hips slightly, trying to get more friction. Richtofen didn't seem to notice Dempsey was staring at him, nor did he care. He rocked his hips into Tank harder, panting and moaning softly as he felt pleasure increase. It felt so good, Tank rubbed Richtofen's sides before sliding his hands down to help him, but Edward got the memo and hissed, smacking at Dempsey's hands. huh? Dempsey whined, pouting as he held his abused limbs, frowning at the crazy german. So he wanted to fuck him, but he didn't wanna touch him. Tank was about to ask him exactly what was the point when Edward suddenly arched up and shook, his cheeks flushed red as he quickly covered his mouth and let out muffled cries of pleasure. He rolled his hips a bit more, riding out his orgasm as he slowly came down from his high, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he struggled to control himself. Well that was fast- He let out a low, weak moan, sliding off of Dempsey and laying beside him before huffing. "mmmmhhh~...that felt nice....~♡" Dempsey lay there, still painfully hard and tense as he glanced over at Edward and just...stared. He wasn't exactly sure what to say. "yeah. that...that was....nice." Edward sat up and glared at Dempsey, his usual beautiful green eyes now seemingly filled with annoyance. "You didn't enjoy that? To think I did that for you-" Here it comes- "Honestly, Dempsey, If you can't even get off from me anymore how about you go screw around with some low life whore. It would make sense for you to do so anyway, considering it is you after all." ouch. Dempsey, of course, was no longer in the mood, and more so already pissed off. He sat up in half a second and let out what sounded like a growl, his eyes narrowed. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean? And I'm sorry I don't get off to every little god damn thing I see like you do- I don't have a fucking switch you know." Edward stood up, letting out a loud 'ugh' before turning and going to open the door, his anger starting to get the better of him. Dempsey stood up and pushed his hand on the door, keeping it firmly closed as Edward tried to open it. "Don't run off on me, you wanna start a fight and have an argument, then let's have an argument!" Edward shoved Dempsey out of the way and opened the door, storming out, his hands balled up into fists. "Shut up already! You're getting on my nerves!" Dempsey followed after him, grabbing his arm( gently,, despite his anger) and pulling him back. "Stop walking away from me dammit! I don't do this to you when you talk to me, so why the hell can't you just look at me? We've been at this for a fucking month, Eddie. Can't we just stop this and move on?" Edward yanked his arm away, looking at Dempsey and hissing. "Don't put your filthy hands on me! And I am sick and tired of hearing your voice- all you ever do is bitch and complain about how much I bother people when nobody can stand YOU half the time either! You make me want to stab myself in the heart or the fucking head I can't take this nonsense anymore! " "Oooo- you said fuck. You're a big boy now, aren't ya? All the time you stick to 'simple' remarks but now you grew a pair and actually fucking said something that people can understand -" "It isn't my fault I'm dating a complete and utter idiot!" Takeo and Nikolai had long since came out of their room, both unsure of how to defuse the whole situation. Takeo went and tried to pull Dempsey away, but Dempsey stayed put, the way he was tensing all to clear that he was about to throw more than a punch. "Well maybe you should go find someone who's a helluva lot smarter than I am!! Better yet, just go fuck every guy you meet until you make a happy little family!" "At least THEY would know how to be a good father if they had a child!" Dempsey's eyes went wide, Nikolai and Takeo's eyes doing the same. Everything was just.... quiet. Edward blinked, his hands covering his mouth as he shakily took a step away from Dempsey. He didn't mean to- It was just in the heat of the moment-- He wasn't trying to actually- Dempsey was at a loss for words. What could he say? There wasn't anything anybody could say right now, aside from just walking away. He fixed his posture, taking a deep, yet shaky breath trying his hardest to stay strong, but the tears in his eyes said an entirely different story. He blinked them away and then walked off, fixing his clothing a bit before sitting on the living room couch. Takeo followed after him quickly and sat beside him, hesitantly wrapping his arms around the other man in a comforting hug. Dempsey stayed still, his face still showing no signs of any emotion aside from surpise. Then the wall in his mind broke. Tears welled up again and he leaned into Takeo's hold, squeezing his eyes shut as a few tears went free. Takeo pulled him closer and frowned, holding Tank as tightly as he could. He didn't wanna let the man go, and honestly Tank didn't want to be let go either. If Takeo let go, he felt like he would just break entirely. With Nikolai and Richtofen, Nikolai had guided the mortified Richtofen back to his room, hugging him weakly as he sobbed, his whole body shaking with the force of his cries. He shouldn't be crying, Dempsey should be. He felt _awful_. That was putting it nicely. He hated himself, he wanted to go apologize to Dempsey and beg him for forgiveness, but he knew he couldn't be forgiven. He was absolutely terrified that Dempsey would cut off their relationship right there, he still was. What if Dempsey went out and found some big boobed slut who could make him happier? Or even worse- What if Dempsey found a man that was everything he ever wanted? He didn't see Dempsey as that type of guy, but he wouldn't deny that he was attractive enough to get the attention of just about every other person alive. Suddenly he regretted wanting to go out tonight. Even if they were no longer a couple, he wanted to at least try to keep Dempsey to himself. It was selfish, childish even, but he didn't care. He wanted- No. He _Needed_ Dempsey. The least he could do was try. ___________________________


	6. uggghhh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bad smut, lots of smut.
> 
> lOOOOTS of smut.
> 
> Really bad story omg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry- this took me days...
> 
> there will be a third part soon, and I'm sure THAT will have sad stuff 
> 
> I'm sorry it took so long, I'm so tired jesus
> 
> I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY ERRORS! I'm sorry, aah-
> 
> I also apologize for the story getting sloppy towards the end...
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

After the 'incident', Takeo and Nikolai thought it best to maybe skip outo on the restaurant and go somewhere else instead.  
Sitting at a table in near absolute silence with people who no longer want to see each other wasn't exactly the best idea. 

So they talked and tried to come up with...SOMEWHERE they could go together, but stay away from each other.  
Nikolai thought of a club, but then quickly shook his head.  
Takeo thought of maybe just the bar, or a small comfy pub of sorts, but sighed. It would probably be too quiet if it was comfortable.

They both kept trying to think of ways to get out, but keep everyone at a distance... Then suddenly Nikolai smiled and went on to talk about a new place that had recently opened up, it was a bar, but also somewhat a smaller, much more suitable version of a not at all crazy club. Takeo shrugged. At this point he was about to say, "fuck everything let's just go to a regular club and keep to ourselves." Which was also a good idea, too.  
Nikolai just rolled his eyes and went to get Richtofen, who he had left in his bedroom to try and relax. Takeo went back to Dempsey, who was still on the couch in the living room, his gaze lost and staring beyond the wall he faced. Daydreaming? No. Thinking. The last thing he needed to do, was think.

Takeo walked over to him and intentionally plopped himself right down on his best friend's lap, offering a small smile and a nudge as he leaned against him, trying to think of the right thing to say.  
"...Dempsey...Come on. Let's get away from here. You can't think forever."

Tank responded with a small puff of air, his eyes still focused on nothing.

Takeo sighed and put more weight on Dempsey, narrowing his eyes as he stared straight into the other's blue eyes. "Tank."

Dempsey finally looked at him, raising his eyebrows ever so slightly before giving in and puffing up his cheeks.  
"Fine- okay mom. I'm going. jeez."

Takeo gave a genuine smile before hopping off Tank's lap and strolling towards the door. Dempsey made a show of getting up, his back hunched forward as he whined. He purposely began dragging his feet, his shoes squeaking against the floor as he slowly walked closer. "this is too faaaaar....aaaaaaahhhhh. I'm dyingggggg....Takeoooo....Takkyyyy...help me you little shit-" 

Takeo glared at Dempsey. He _Hated_ that nickname.  
"Fine. You want my help- you're gonna get my help--"

Takeo waked behind Dempsey and brought his leg up, kicking him in the ass and making him stumbled out the house.  
Dempsey only whined more, clearly in a much better mood than before as he rubbed his rear and pouted. "ooooooooowwwwwwww. oOOOOOOWWWWW- I SAID OOOOWWW-" 

"I HEARD YOU GOD DAMMIT, DEMPSEY-" Takeo threw the car keys straight at Tank's head and he manged to dodge them by and inch, his face lighting up slightly. "Aw, Gee wilikers! You're the best, mom!~ Thanks!" He ran off before Takeo slapped him upside the head, laughing as he went to grab the keys from the floor. 

Inside, Nikolai wasn't having that much luck with cheering Edward up. He had it stuck in his head that Dempsey would shoot him death glares and kill him while he slept later tonight. Nikolai eventually picked Edward up and hugged him. Tightly. Too tightly. It was more of a 'shut up before I crush you' hug. But Edward didn't notice. He just hugged back and relaxed slowly, sighing as he stared at the door. "I believe that..they're waiting for us." Richtofen mumbled slightly, his eyes red and puffy from his tears.

"Really, you don't say?" Nikolai stood up and carried Richtofen out of his room, walking towards the living room and out the front door. Takeo waited until Nikolai had walked out to lock the door, slipping the key into his pocket afterwards. Dempsey was back to being a sour puss the moment he saw Richtofen, his face going blank and stoney as he got into the back seat of the car and closed the door, his eyes looking outside of the window. 

Edward sighed and slid in beside Dempsey after opening the car door, reaching out and touching him gently. "d...dempsey...im..."

"You're sorry. I get it. I don't care anymore Richtofen, go bug someone else. We aren't together. Not tonight, anyways. Go fuck whoever you want." He cut Edward off, keeping his gaze outside of the car. He didn't want to hear anything. A drink sounded nice right about now. 

Richtofen pulled his hand away, tears pricking his eyes as his bottom lip trembled. He mustn't cry. He can NOT cry. He looked away, the tears pouring down his cheeks as he tried to focus on something else. There was a cat strolling along the sidewalk, but he didn't care. He messed up. He lost Dempsey. He couldn't do anything to take it back...

Takeo and Nikolai joined them soon after and they departed, the sun already set and the slightest bit of stars began to gleam through the darkness, the moon helping in lighting up the earth.  
Nikolai was the one driving, so they just ended up going to a regular club. Nobody really gave a damn, it wasn't filled with immature people, for the most part. Once they got inside they just went their separate ways. Takeo and Nikolai went to an area that actually had a small booth, and Richtofen went to the restroom to possibly cry until he felt better. Tank, walked straight for the bar. He pushed past the crowd of sweaty people dancing and rubbing themselves on each other, his eyes solely focused on the neon sign that clearly stated alcohol.  
He got there and sat in a surprisingly free seat, asking for a regular whiskey. The bartender, one of them, a young, thin, yet somehow slightly muscular male gave a slight curious look, arching his eyebrow at Dempsey's request.

Tank rolled his eyes and gave a small shrug, feeling a bit eased up not near Edward. "...half full. there. happy?" 

The bartender smirked and wasted no time in getting a regular glass and fulfilling Dempsey's order, his gaze occasionally flicking back to the man. The young boy was definitely attracted to him, Tank saw this. Actually, he knew that at least a handful of people had looked at him on his way to the bar, and another handful were looking at him right now. Most women, but a fair amount were men too. It didn't bother him, and he didn't think twice about it, he just wanted his drink.  
On cue, his whiskey(on ice ha-) was set in front of him, though the hand on the cup lingered for just a moment too long, and Dempsey decided to just play along. What the hell. He certainly wasn't dating anybody.  
Just before the young male went to turn away, Tank slid his hand forward and let his hand glide up the other male's arm before pulling him back to where his ear was right by Dempsey's mouth, his face blank, before a seductive smirk slowly formed and he let out a soft coo. 

_"Any reason you keep looking at me like that?"_

The young man shivered, a small gasp escaping him as he tensed up, his mind turning into mush as he babbled some nonsense, face heating up. Dempsey let go of his arm and the boy just about fainted, quickly going and sitting down as his colleagues helped him and took over.  
Tank snickered and downed his drink, humming in displeasure the moment he finished it. 

"can I have another, please?"

 

____________

 

Takeo and Nikolai were sitting in the booth, Richtofen still gone in the bathroom. The two talked amongst themselves, both laughing about God knows what.  
Nikolai didn't necessarily like the fact that people could hit on Takeo, especially when a girl came up to them beyond eager to meet Japanese man. She leaned on their table and pushed her practically exposed breasts together with her arms as she crossed them, her gaze intensely on Takeo. He let out a nervous cough, focusing on her face and furrowing his eyebrows in slight confusion. He didn't understand what her goal was... She said.....something?? The music was too loud for either of the men to hear, but she said it again, more so mouthing the words this time, and when she did, Nikolai felt anger flare up faster than he could comprehend. Takeo seemed taken aback, his cheeks heating up as he slowly began to sink into his chair, his eyes cast down onto the table as he mumbled lightly. The woman went to sit beside Takeo and do what she had so previously said, but Nikolai suddenly pulled Takeo onto his lap and kissed him roughly, his hands roaming over his body and groping at all of his sensitive areas. Takeo arched up into Nikolai's touch, his eyes going wide as he let out muffled squeaks and moans, his hands sliding to his love's back and gripping onto his shirt tightly. The woman said something foul and let out a hiss before storming off, leaving the two alone. Takeo pulled away slightly, gasping and shivering, his face pure red as he glared at the larger man. "What- Why?!" Nikolai pressed gentle kisses down Takeo's neck, nuzzling him affectionately and rubbing against him slowly. He was sure Takeo felt the smirk that formed as he continued to show his partner excessive love. Richtofen came back and completely ignored the other two who were apparently making out now, he didn't care. He was searching the crowd for Dempsey. He needed to keep an eye on him, and he needed to make sure he stayed safe. His green eyes scanned the area, frowning at seeing nobody who looked remotely like his Tank. He sighed and thought about just going to search himself rather than sit here and look. That meant...touching other people....He shivered at the thought, rubbing his face as he shook his head. He had to do something. He couldn't just let Tank wander off with some creep. He had never been so protective over something, this was definitely odd to Edward, but he was willing to accept it if it meant getting Dempsey. Maybe he was being too over dramatic, but he just wanted his love back. \------- He had lost count, but by the time he had asked for another, the bartender, a new one, had been reluctant in giving the whiskey to Tank. His vision was getting blurred, and a familiar numbness followed along, which to him, meant it was working. He was mumbling some gibberish, heat building up as he tugged lightly at his shirt, glancing around at the other people dancing not even a few feet from him. Not a club? Ha. He rolled his eyes and went to go and just ask for some water when the man beside him said something, that caught his attention. It wasn't best to be drunk and, in this case, incredibly attractive. People got a little too crazy in taking you for themselves, which is why he tried to sober up a little, but he was gonna need alot more water to wash away the alcohol. Completely shoving aside him getting sober, he turned to the other man and blinked a few times to get better focus, his eyebrows furrowing. "wh..who'r you? whadda want...whatcha say?" The man looked at Dempsey, his eyes seemingly bored and slightly annoyed by being talked to. "I said, 'this is a waste of my time'. Because it is. I could be doing work right now, but mein- excuse me- 'my', 'friends' dragged me here to lighten up..." Tank grabbed some random water and just drank it all, at least still somewhat determined to get some type of focus back. This was the first person that actually caught his attention. The man was older, but not by too much. The very edges of his black hair were turning silver, and he had such pale skin- Something about him was making Dempsey feel like mush, and he couldn't stop his eyes from wandering over the other man's form. His outfit seemed a bit more on the fancy-ish side. He had dark pants, black shoes from what he saw, a white button-up shirt underneath his coat- the fucker had a coat on in here? And a tie, to top it all off. Dempsey would've laughed, but it all went so nicely on the man, clung to him in all the right places, he really didn't look like be belonged anywhere at a club. He looked more like someone you see at a coffee shop, not working there, more like a regular customer. He was so busy eyeing the other man and struggling to get his focus a little better, he didn't realize the man was staring at him with a sly grin. He shook his head after a bit and rubbed his neck, feeling a blush creep up and cover his cheeks. Sheesh, he felt like a weirdo. "so...um...guess your..friends are pretty young to be even going to places like this...huh?" Dempsey didn't know why he kept the conversation going, the man was probably tired of this already, he didn't wanna bother him. But when the man answered casually, Dempsey couldn't help but give a surprised hum. "Actually, the youngest of them is only 26. As of recently. The others, look like children. Even act like children sometimes, but they're much older than they seem." The man shifted slightly before turning to Tank and crossing his arms, the bored look in his eyes now something entirely else, but Tank wasn't able to read the emotion. At least he knew he had the man's attention and the guy wasn't upset with it. Dempsey sat up and tried to match the other's classy look, even leaning on the bar top slightly as he smiled, but he only did well to make the other shake his head and give a decent huff of air. Tank pouted, not realizing the other had laughed and just leaned in, but not too close as to make the other uncomfortable. "so you're jus'here? you don't got a date..or...nothin? Oh, I'm Tank, by th'way. Tank Dempsey- the man with-" He waved himself off and focused on the other, eyebrows slightly raised. The older man contemplated something before reaching over and placing a glass of water into Dempsey's hands. He smirked at the baffled look Tank gave, before speaking. "I'm afraid being here with a date- isn't the best of choices. But, no, I am alone, aside from my friends, and very much single... As for names," He suddenly shifted again, his right leg intentionally sliding against Dempsey's, making the younger man gasp and let out short shaky groan. He was glad most of music drowned out his noise out from everyone else, but unfortunately he and the other were close enough to hear each other talk normally, which meant- Dempsey went to cover his mouth but the other's hands held his, his gaze slightly confused as he stared at the older man. "I'm Edward~ It's a pleasure to meet you, Tank~" Dempsey sputtered slightly, pulling his hands away from the other and rubbing his face in embaressment. "g-geez...why'd ya gotta do that t'me for Eddie-" He mumbled some other things before moving his hands away, his gaze on Edward. "Boyyy that's weird. My ex's name is Edward too...oh well. He's an asshole-" Tank went for more Whiskey but Edward stopped him, gently urging him to drink water instead. "Hm. Well, if you like, you may call me 'Ed' for the purpose of pinpointing who is who." Edward suggested, giving a lazy shrug. "Nah...I'll just give you a nickname..liiike..." Dempsey thought a bit, soon just shrugging it off and smirking. "I'll just call you sexy~♡ heh~..." Edward laughed at that, his green eyes lighting up ever so slightly, but Dempsey noticed. He continued to say his idiotic things, purposely acting some stuff out in over dramatic hand gestures, rambling about how the usual day was for him, and then he'd listen as Ed went and told Tank about his normal life too, on and on they went, taking turns learning more about each other, Tank gradually becoming more alert as most of the alcohol washed away. They made stupid jokes that weren't even funny, and laughed so hard they were both nearly crying, making people glance their way or walk off, but it didn't bother them. They even flirted, though it was harmless and small bits of it, it began to get a little more heated the more Ed saw that Tank was now not as drunk as before, and Tank wasn't bothered one bit, he actually returned the flirting smoothly, even managing to make Ed blush a tiny bit. Now they were talking about what to do after they both left this damn club, chatting happily without any care in the world. Though it was simple talk, they both just couldn't keep their hands off of each other. Ed always a bit shyly placing a hand on Tank's shoulder to playfully push him, Tank letting his hands slide up Ed's leg slowly before pulling him into a tight hug, they both sent their own signals, both getting the hint of the other's interest. Little touches turned into short grabs, short grabs turned into slow rubs, and eventually Dempsey couldn't sit still anymore. What was the one place they could do this in public and not have to run somewhere too far just for privacy? Tank would have said 'fuck it' and just dragged Ed to the nearest bathroom, but he wanted something a little better than a useless stall. Ed had taken off his coat, letting the bartender keep it behind the counter to keep it safe, it was a bit hot for him, and he didn't feel like passing out from that. He was unaware of Dempsey getting up until he felt himself pulled out of his chair, a small yelp escaping him as he frowned. "Dempsey! What are you doing, you scared me half to death-" Tank pulled him close, whispering in his ear, letting his lips brush over his skin slowly. "let's go dance...~" Ed blinked in surpirse, reluctant at first, but he submitted and let himself get dragged into the crowd of people. He cringed everytime someone touched him, fighting the urge to hiss out a remark, but when he and Dempsey stopped right in the middle of nothing but people, he gave him a questioning look. Tank wasted no time in pulling him so close their bodies were pressed against each other, the look in his eye giving Edward all the information he needed. So that was his plan. Pretty crafty, Ed had to admit. What better place to get away with their sexual acts than the dance floor, where litterally almost every person was doing the exact same thing? And with so many people all focused on themselves, who would care about the two of them? Tank wrapped an arm around Edward's neck, rubbing against him and moving his hips to the music perfectly, his lust filled gaze on him the whole time. Ed felt pleasure building up, and he began to move with Tank, a bit awkward at first, since he wasn't use to dancing like this, but within a short time he had gotten the hang of it, both of them grinding and rubbing against each other, the heat of their bodies and being surrounded by other people caused them to start sweating a bit. Dempsey lost all care at this point, rolling his hips up against Edward's and making him hold back a moan, his need all but taking control. They were practically glued together, eyes never leaving each other, and not a care in the world. Dempsey pulled back for a quick second and turned around, switching arms and letting his left hand hook around Edward's neck from behind him, keeping him more than close as he pressed his ass into his crotch and continued to dance, hips swaying from side to side smoothly to the beat of the music. Ed let his hands slide to Tank's waist, just holding him and letting Dempsey move however he wanted, he was really questioning how Tank could move how he did, so smoothly and with ease, like he'd done this a million times. He exhaled shakily, his breath slightly catching in his throat as he held in his cries of pleasure. His face turned a light shade of pink as a few whistles came from other people, apparently they had gotten a few viewers, or maybe more than a few, but he didn't care, his focus was on Dempsey. And god damn, was Dempsey into this. He was sweating and panting, his dancing never coming close to a stop as he pressed himself back against Edward. Ed felt his urge growing, and before he knew it, he couldn't just grind anymore, he pulled away slightly, turning Dempsey around to face him as he huffed. "hah...h-ah....perhaps...we..could....go to-" "The restroom? Yeah that- that sounds nice right about now." Dempsey cut him off, taking his hand and pulling him through the crowd once more, but this time towards privacy. They both ignored the whistles and cheering they got, well, Dempsey did, Ed just tried to focus on the warmth of Tank's hand. That, and his pants had grown incredibly tight, though that was something that hadn't surprised him. Dempsey nearly ran into the bathroom, Ed right behind him before he turned and locked the bathroom door, both a bit wide eyed. Dempsey rubbed his arm a bit nervously, a dark red blush dusted across his cheeks. Anyone could tell, he wasn't as drunk now. Maybe he wasn't drunk at all? "I didn't think people would be watching us, sorry if I embarrassed you-" Edward shook his head, smiling as he walked closer to Dempsey, placing his hand on his chest before slowly gliding it down, his fingertips barely making contact with him by the time he reached his pants. "Don't be sorry, I enjoyed that..quite a bit, actually...~" Tank smirked and wrapped his arms around Ed's waist before sliding his hands down and rubbing his hips. "Oh yeah?~ You think I'm a good dancer?~ You just like the way I move my hips...nice and slow..." Dempsey rolled his hips up against Edward's, though roughly. His smirk fading, though not in a bad sense. His lips parted slightly and he let out a small needy breath, his eyes locked onto Edward's as he continued to roll his hips, all at once his burning desire came rushing back. "...you like that...huh?....when I press my nice hard cock up against yours? rubbing them together..pushing against you... " "D-Dempsey...." Edward groaned and then pressed their mouths together, kissing him roughly as he pushed Tank against the wall, bucking his hips against him as they both let out loud moans, their breath mingling as their hands roamed over each other's hot, sweaty body. Dempsey fumbled with the buttons of Edward's shirt, pulling away from the kiss to take a couple of deep breaths, his hands nearly shaking as he managed to get a few buttons off, but whined when he couldn't do the rest. Ed smiled and quickly helped him, letting his shirt fall to the floor before he went to Dempsey's and unbuttoned it for him. Edward's eyes widened at the sight of Tank's muscular frame, he figured the man was strong and had decent muscles to say the least, but the shirt he had did more so to hide them. Seeing his abs made his mouth go dry, his eyes sliding to his pants which he immediately unbuttoned and unzipped, tugging them down shamelessly as he bit his bottom lip and stared at his length. Tank went to ask a smug little question, but the words died on his tongue as he suddenly inhaled sharply and rolled his head back, the freedom of his tight pants not the cause, but the warm, soft, moist mouth that enveloped his throbbing erection, was. He bucked his hips and panted, his voice cutting off everytime he went to try and moan, the only thing that came out was his panting and a few shaky, broken 'aaa's. He brought a hand up to his face, covering it slightly as he gasped and used his free hand to run through Edward's hair. When Ed finally pulled back, Dempsey was a mess. A small line of drool escaping his mouth, sweat coating his firm chest and abs, his upper body trembling- Ed crawled up and kissed Dempsey before he slid off the rest of his clothing, letting the sound of his zipper be enough for Dempsey to get hint. Tank sat up, still slightly shaking as he stared at Edward, his eyes showing nothing but lust. He got on his hands and knees, huffing slightly as he chewed on the inside of his cheek, attempting to focus on something else- but that didn't work. This was gonna hurt, if not sting like a bitch. Ed sucked on his middle finger, lubricating it with his saliva and making sure it was coated enough before slowly slipping it into Tank's tight hole and wriggling it around. Dempsey tensed, but then slowly relaxed, a frown forming on his mouth as he tried to focus on pleasure, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. A second finger went in, and that's when it got a little uncomfortable, his face staying blank for the most part, a small grunt escaping him as the fingers thrusted in and out, scissoring his hole and stretching it. The third finger went in and he let out a small hiss, this was going pretty fast, but it was better than just getting rammed into. Ed stayed still and waited for Dempsey to adjust before beginning to move his fingers in and out, rolling them a bit and rubbing them against a small bundle of his nerves. Tank whined, shivering as he pushed himself back against Edward's hand, rolling his hips with the thrusts slowly. And then the fourth finger abruptly got shoved in, and a sharp pain rushed through Dempsey, tears welling up in his eyes as he gritted his teeth. Edward rubbed Dempsey's hips, allowing him to adjust again as he whispered soothing things to him, kissing his back and caressing his side. The moment Dempsey adjusted properly Ed pulled his fingers out slowly, humming softly, He didn't have much time to react when Dempsey turned to him and went down. Surprised, Ed leaned back a bit. Dempsey let his tongue glide up Edward's shaft slowly, his eyes on him as he swirled his tongue around his head and then slowly went down, sucking roughly and sloppily, moaning around his erection as he continued, going a bit faster and bobbing his head up and down. Ed moaned and shuddered, weakly pushing Dempsey's head down on him more as he gasped. He bucked his hips up a bit, whining out Tank's name. When Dempsey pulled away he sucked a bit harder around Edward's tip, coming off of him with a small 'pop', his saliva coating his length. Tank laid on his back and Edward almost instantly pounced on him, sliding in, gripping onto Dempsey and shaking as he covered his mouth. Edward stayed still, slowly removing his hand from his mouth as he choked out a small whimper, his senses practically on overload as he resisted the urge to start ramming in and out of Dempsey. "ah- haaaah......demp...demp..s..seey-" His voice cracked slightly, his cheeks heating up as he looked at the other. Dempsey was stiff, but the pleasure was clear on his face. It hurt like hell, but aside from that, being full, being so tight around Edward- He nodded shakily, his arms wrapping around Edward's neck, and his legs wrapping around Edward's waist. "im...I'm good...keep...going.." Edward gave a small thrust, and watched with glee as Dempsey writhed around and gasped, his eyes glazed over with pure ecstasy. Pleased with the reaction, Edward began thrusting more, his own rush of pleasure making him shake and moan as he rutted into Dempsey, again and again, getting a bit faster. Tank rolled his hips, his grip on Ed weakening as he drooled, moaning and begging for him to go harder. Ed gripped onto Dempsey's hips, nearly sliding himself out all the way before roughly slamming himself back in, making Tank arch up and let out a yell of pleasure, his hands raking down Edward's back as he roughly moved his hips with every thrust, panting and shivering. It felt so good, but he wanted more, Dempsey needed more, he squirmed and then quickly moved close against Edward, pushing him to his back gently and getting above him. When Ed gave a curious look Dempsey simply answered by bringing himself up and roughly dropping himself back onto Edward's shaft, his eyes fluttering closed slightly as he continued the same movement, getting harsher and harsher as he went. Ed must've been close already, because he started to buck his hips a bit more wildly and his moans increased, his hands rubbing at Dempsey's painfully hard cock. Dempsey stopped moving up and down and began rocking his hips back and forth, panting and sweating heavily as he bent over and gripped onto Edward's shoulders, using them as more leverage to pull himself against him faster and harder. Ed bucked his hips a few more times, mumbling something Dempsey couldn't understand before suddenly he gripped onto Dempsey and moaned out, his eyes squeezing shut as he arched up and released, his body tense. Tank felt Edward's release, making him want it twice as bad. He rolled his hips and didn't stop, rubbing and bobbing up and down on Edward's still erect shaft, hitting his bundle of nerves in just the right spot, pure ecstasy and bliss taking over him as he trembled, a few tears rolling down his cheeks as he moaned out Edward's name, riding out his orgasm before he slid off of Edward and collapsed beside him, both of them a complete mess. Edward mumbled something to Dempsey and Dempsey couldn't help but laugh, hugging him and shyly pressing a kiss to his lips, which Ed happily returned. "we are a giant mess...." Tank went to sit up but regretted it immediately and laid back down, shivering. Edward helped him and rubbed his hips, smirking as he cooed, nuzzling Dempsey and letting his finger trace circles into his skin. "I've seen worse~..This is nothing~..." Tank stuck out his tongue and frowned, but Ed didn't like that. He had a different idea, he went and sucked on Dempsey's tongue, growling lustfully as he kissed him and forced his tongue into his mouth, swirling it around. Dempsey shuddered and hummed, kissing back before pulling away and blushing, looking all but fussy. "Dirty old man... How are you already turned on again?? We litterally just finished having sex." Edward licked Tank's neck, giggling and nibbling on it before whispering to him. "Old man? Excuse me, I don't think any old man could have done what we just did~.." Tank and Edward laughed, starting to play around, small hugging and kissing turned to a bit of rough play, which only ended in them two right back on top of one another, grinding and moaning softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you didn't get the hint,
> 
> the 'old man' Dempsey met is, *giant twist* Original Richtofen. 
> 
>  
> 
> a a a a a. so cool-
> 
> *faceplants*


	7. Do you remember?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It started with words that meant more than they seemed,
> 
> and it ended the same,
> 
> maybe talking about something you've been running from for fourteen years is a good thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God damn,
> 
>  this one absolutely killed me the most to write,
> 
> I don't even cry for stories, but this one actually made me cry. The thought I had while writing it, just- 
> 
> it killed me. 
> 
> My heart hurts, and so does my head, I apologize for any errors! I will fix them if there are any, I did this all night, so I hope you enjoy!
> 
> also if you didn't get the hint,
> 
> FEELS, I think,,,  
> ______________

The two had settled, clothed, and somewhat clean, they went back to the bar, sitting in their seats and going back to normally talking. 

It was light and cheery, both laughing and easing into the night, this time with no tension of any kind.  
Ed was curious about Dempsey's past, and they both took turns telling things about each other that they hadn't already said before.  
He learned his favorite color, hobby, job, smalls things, and gradually began to move up the questions a bit, Dempsey didn't mind. 

"Have you ever gone ice skating?" Richtofen asked, smiling sweetly as he leaned his elbows against the frame of the bar top.

Tank rubbed his neck, giving a small shake of his head before chuckling. "Nah, i went regular skating though, that sucked. I fell on my ass." 

Edward laughed and rolled his eyes, the corner of his mouth tugging up a bit more in a smirk as he reached over and poked Dempsey's cheek. "Hmh~ I'm sure you didn't feel anything then, you do have alot of cushion..~"

Tank nearly spit out his water as he took a sip, sending a small glare toward the older man as he frowned. "S'that supposed to mean- I don't have a fat ass. I actually think I have a nice ass, I mean that's just me- Do you think it's nice?" 

Richtofen hummed, pretending to think carefully as he brought a hand up to his own chin and tapped the side ever so slightly. "hm......."

Dempsey whined and rested his head on the counter top of the bar, his left hand half heartedly doing a random motion in the air. "My pride is gone."

Ed leaned over and gently kissed Dempsey's cheek before cooing out, rubbing his arm soothingly. "Oh my, You didn’t let me finish thinking~ Don't worry, You have a nice ass~ I speak from experience of course, I mean, it's so soft yet firm~..♡ And it does well to add pleasure when sliding into yo-" 

Tank punched Edward's arm, somewhat gently, his cheeks growing red as he scowled. "You're an asshole." Dempsey grumbled, chewing on the bottom of his lip slightly to ignore the heat on his face.

"Well if we go _there_ then I might have to say you're also very tight-" Edward went on, beaming as Dempsey let out a frustrated noise and babbled some nonsense.

Ed thought about something, his head lulling to the side slightly as he contemplated it, before suddenly deciding it might be best to not ask. "Ever had a child?" His hand went up and covered his own mouth as he blinked. He hadn't meant for it to slip- "Ah- I'm sorry Dempsey, You don't have to answer I didn't mean to- ...Dempsey...? Are you alright..?"

The change in his attitude was noticeable, you'd be blind to miss it. His relaxed and happy posture suddenly went rigid and all but inviting, his expression dark and his eyes...seemingly far away.

Edward gave a nervous, barely audible whimper, shakily placing a hand on Tank's shoulder as he frowned. "Dempsey...you don't have to tell me..it was foolish of me to even ask..." 

"...I had a daughter..." 

The sudden words took Richtofen by surprise, his eyes widening slightly. Dempsey was telling him...? Dare he go on...but-  
He hesitated before asking, his green eyes filled with curiosity despite his efforts. Had? Did that mean..? "what....what happened? Is she with her mother?" 

Dempsey stared at the wall, his eyes dull and empty as he gave a weak smile. 

"...She probably is...I wonder if she can see me sometimes..."

Edward gave a slightly confused look, tilting his head as he stared at Dempsey. "See you? I don't understand."

Tank looked down at his glass, watching as the ice slowly began to melt and pool, mixing with the water.

"...Her name was Ella....."

"And she was my whole world." 

 

___________________

 

It was in the middle of August, a beautiful day, perfect weather, the sun was shining, caressing the earth and giving it it's well needed attention, though clouds helped to cover the earth every so often so it wasn't too much. everything seemed right. 

Tank was sitting on the front porch of his home in a comfortable little chair, enjoying the sound of the trees around him swaying in the wind slowly. It was quiet, but one that was enjoyable, and not unpleasant. He focused on weaving together the stems of flowers, his hands carefully working on the delicate plants as he hummed. 

Almost finished.

 

A tiny voice not far off got his attention as he lifted his head and gazed out at the open, immediately spotting a small girl not far off running toward him, her blue eyes filled with joy. Her light brown hair was lose, stopping just above her shoulders and curling slightly at the tips. She squealed something out, pausing to dance in circles before running off to the side. 

"You aren't going to run out and chase her? That's a first~..." 

Slender arms slipped around Dempsey's neck, pulling him back slightly. His gaze shifted, turning to look at the woman who stood above him, his eyebrows raising as he smirked. "I would, but then you decided to hold me here and well, woe is me. I'm afraid I can't move." 

The woman laughed, sweet and melodic, making Tank lean into her touch as he continued to gaze at her. Her hazel eyes suddenly slid to the front of them, a gentle smile on her face. 

"Mommy, Daddy! Guess what I did today!" 

The little girl from earlier came running up the steps, grinning from ear to ear as she held up a drawing, a family that clearly represented their own. "I almost lost it- but then the teacher helped me and I put it in my lunchbox!" 

Tank took the drawing and rose and eyebrow at the fourth person in the drawing that stood beside his daughter, his expression more lost than content now. "This is good kiddo~ I love it~ But who's this?" He turned the paper toward Ella, pointing at the fourth person. 

She scrambled onto Tank's lap, hugging him tightly before getting comfortable and pointing at the same person. "That's Johnny, he said he thought I was pretty and he wanted to hang out with us so I put him in the picture!" 

Dempsey's eyes twitched slightly, his smile turning into a large frown as he stared at 'Johnny'. If looks could kill..... 

Ella took notice of her father's lack of words and turned to him, pouting as she brought her tiny hands to the edges of his mouth and forced it into a smile. "Nooo! Daddy, stop being grumpy bumpy- turkey chicken! Momma, make daddy smileee!" 

The woman lifted Ella off of Dempsey, setting her on the ground before kissing her head and gently ushering her inside. "Why not go get changed honey? I'll make you a snack~" 

Ella ran inside, giggling and rambling nonsense before her tiny footsteps faded away.

Dempsey was still frowning, his gaze still on 'Johnny'.  
"I don't like Johnny."

"Honey- she's _five_. They're kids. Don't be so grumpy, old man~ We don't need you going and trying to challenge another five year old to prove himself 'worthy' for our little girl." 

"Alexandra-"

She put her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes at him.

Dempsey held his hands up in defeat, shrinking back slightly.  
"alright alright babe, you win- sheesh..."

She bent down and kissed Tank's head, humming softly before taking the drawing and going inside. 

"....I'm still gonna tell the little bastard something for trying to be near my daughter-"

" _Dempsey_!" 

He winced, smirking as bit and shaking his head before looking at the flower crown he had made earlier. It wasn't the best, but it certainly wasn't horrible. It was decent. Hopefully his little sunshine would like it. 

_________________

Richtofen was listening intently to the story, the whole time his gaze was on Dempsey as he pictured everything, it was a little nerve wracking, considering of course something awful happened, how happy they all were, and then suddenly they weren't together anymore. The thought made a sick feeling course through Edward, a shiver escaping him as he frowned.  
The question kept popping up in his head, and it was starting to get to him. 

_What happened?_

 

Dempsey looked at Richtofen, his face melancholic as he remembered. "I couldn't....help her....I couldn't do anything for my own daughter....."

 

__________________

Something so small had become something too big to control, and before anyone knew it, everything was ablaze.  
Before their own eyes they watched, as everything they had- everything they loved, burned.

It was a mistake, a small easily doused fire suddenly ten times its size as fuel was mistakenly poured over, both parents backing away quickly in fear. Alexandra had ran off, possibly to call for help, Dempsey was frantically trying to put out what he could, and though he succeeded, it didn't stop what had already spread.  
It was too late to save the house now, and even he knew it, only one thing left to do.

He slightly backed away from the kitchen, watching the flames spread, his mind blank for some second before he snapped out of his daze and spun on his heel, running to find Alexandra.  
She hung up the phone and turned to him as he came into the living room, her eyes wide and silently questioning as she glanced to where they had previously been. 

"I'm guessing by the sound of it, you couldn't put it out?" She muttered, reaching out and taking his hand shakily.

Tank gave a sorrowful look before pulling her close and practically dragging her towards the front door. "It's a bit late for that- we can't stay in here." 

"But- Our things! Ella's things-- She'll be heartbroken, we can't just-" She squirmed, only to be held onto tighter.

Dempsey eventually had to pick her up and carry her outside, and even then she continued to writhe, her movements getting weaker by the second. He had gotten a good enough distance from the house, which was now just about fully engulfed in flames. He looked at her, the disappointment in her eyes- 

He took a deep breath and placed a hand her face, caressing her as he gathered up enough courage. Alexandra leaned into his touch, closing her eyes and frowning. Then suddenly his hand pulled away, too suddenly, she opened her eyes and blinked, pure horror overtaking her features. He was running back into the house- 

Back inside. The words and the sight played in her head again and again until it finally seemed to click in her head, her cry falling on deaf ears as he disappeared from view.

Smoke was everywhere, creating a thick cloud that didn't help Tank see any better, but he knew where he was going. He went upstairs to his daughter's bedroom, looking around and moving things as he searched. He didn't have to worry about Ella, neither of them did, she was spending the night at one of her, and their friend's house. He was thankful for that at least.

 

Ella however, wasn't. She wanted to see her mom and dad. It wasn't that she didn't like the other kids, she just wanted to be with her mother and father more right now. She wasn't far, she could walk home easily and get there in not even a few minutes, less time if she hurried. An idea came into her head, she could surpirse them! Daddy loved surprises, he would always plan to surprise mommy when she came home, usually he'd play the surprises with Ella, like on mother's day, they baked her a cake and had a little party, she had never seen mommy and daddy hug and smooch so much! The smooching was gross, she couldn't help but stick her tongue out and say 'eww', but it was still nice to see them both so happy. So it was settled. She had snuck out with her stuffed animal bunny, his name was Mr.Floppy, and they both ran home as fast as they could.  
Though when she got there, everything was bright and shiny, like the sun! She didn't know why, and she knew that mom and dad would probably be in the front, so she went through the back door. 

The door handle burned her hand, and she winced, pouting a bit before she looked around and smiled at the window to the basement. She opened it and crawled in, leaving Mr.Floppy behind as she jumped into the basket of clothes not far below her. She was glad they did laundry down here, otherwise she would've gotten hurt. She shuffled out of the basket and ran to the stairs leading up, coughing as she shook her head. Why did it smell weird? "Daddy?" She called out. No answer. She opened the door, going into the main floor of the house before heading to the kitchen. Where was mommy and daddy?

 

Dempsey was just about done searching when he found what he was looking for, he grabbed the small book and turned, coughing and gasping for air as tears began to well up in his eyes. He felt like he was just on the verge of passing out, his vision going hazy as he stumbled out of the room and hurried downstairs, going towards the front door. 

Ella didn't like it, she was getting scared, and it was really hard to breathe now, not to mention her eyes were getting scratchy and it was hard to see up here. She heard someone coming downstairs and smiled, hurriedly running toward the living room to greet them, when suddenly something heavy landed on her and she fell. Tears blurred her vision as she sniffled, trying to move and wiggle but finding she couldn't. She tried to crawl but the thing on her was too heavy, so instead she laid there and coughed, trying to inhale but not getting any air. Her brain was shutting down from the lack of proper oxygen, and her vision only got worse, but she stayed awake. She saw Dempsey wobble down the stairs, and go to the door, her eyes lit up and she smiled, a small huff leaving her as he did a small wave to him, but he didn't see. He didn't even know she was there. 

She moved slightly, but then went limp, her eyes starting to droop as she coughed again, though it fell silent to the loud sounds of wood breaking off and collapsing in on itself. She watched as Tank kicked hard enough for the door to crumble, her eyes closing as soon as he went out and disappeared from sight. He was always so strong, he reminded her of a knight. She loved her daddy, she wanted to grow up to be like him one day. "bye bye daddy..." She felt tired. She couldn't move anymore. She'd see daddy when she woke up, she knew it. She'd see mommy too.  
She'd even get to tell mommy how they could surpirse daddy next too, his birthday was coming up! But for now, she had to sleep. She loved them both, she couldn't wait to see them again. 

 

As Dempsey stumbled out of the house, he lost the last of his strength and collapsed onto the dirt and grass below him, coughing and desperately inhaling air, his body shaking as he slowly brought himself to a sitting position. He didn't have much time to look up as suddenly he was being lifted up and dragged somewhere, his eyes going slightly wide as he looked at the..firemen? People- Firefighters- all over the place. Ambulances, he was in an ambulance. He went to sit up but he was pushed down, and that's when it all settled in. He started to squirm, his eyes constantly flickering as he hissed in pain. Why was he in pain? Oh. Right. He had burns, he didn't even notice...  
Alexandra came into view and he relaxed, though he felt awful for scaring her, and it was clear she had been crying. She hugged him, shaking and sobbing as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He kept trying to ignore the paramedic, but eventually gave in and just relaxed as they helped him. 

Alexandra had gone out to talk to the neighbors that had bothered to come, though immediately she went to the ones she knew had Ella with them. She needed her daughter right now. 

The house was still on fire, but everything had gave in and the whole structure had fallen apart, it was going to be nothing but ash and charred wood by the time the Firefighters put it out.

The moment she went up to her long time friends she couldn't help but notice....Ella wasn't there. And they all looked quite worried, though not about the fire. She hesitated before going up and asking what had happened.

Dempsey was laying still, his thoughts everywhere when a heart wrenching scream pierced the air, his eyes going wide as he shoved aside the nurse and quickly got out of the vehicle, running to Alexandra, who for some reason was running straight for the house. He managed to grab her and gave her a confused look, gently rubbing her back and sitting on the ground with her. 

She looked at the house and let out a broken cry, shaking as tears poured down her cheeks. "ELLA!"

Tank blinked, his heart stopping as he froze. _What?_  
He was scared, he was terrified- His gaze slowly shifted to the people they had entrusted their daughter with-

 

and she wasn't there.

 

He let go of Alexandra, looking back at the house and standing up faster than his body could handle at the moment, his legs wobbling slightly before he broke into a full out run, heading towards the back of the house. The front door was caved in, so the back had to still somehow be open, right? A few Firefighters ran after him, but he got to the back in double time, throwing his weight onto the door again and again, but it didn't budge. it was already mostly burnt and withered, but whatever was on the other side was jammed into the door.  
He backed away and looked for a new way to get in-  
when right by the basement window, something caught his eye. 

His heart went in his stomach, and a lump formed in his throat, his eyes starting to water as he walked closer and shakily knelt down, picking up Mr.Floppy from the ground. 

The Firefighters that followed him suddenly came and pulled him back to the front while the others finally put the fire to rest, but he didn't notice. The moment he came into view it felt like everybody had their eyes on him, and it also felt like everybody knew what had happened.  
The men had let go of Dempsey, and he just fell to the ground, clinging to the stuffed rabbit as he shook and hung his head.  
Alexandra had crawled over, hugging him and letting her cries take over entirely. 

Tank's emotion finally pooled over, and he snapped.  
He let out a loud scream before completely breaking down, tears pouring down his cheeks as he wrapped his arms around Alexandra and held her close, his hands trembling as he buried his face into her neck and let his cries of agony wash over everything. He couldn't hear anything. He couldn't feel anything. He couldn't see, or smell- it was all so much for him and the fact that he had lost his sunshine, the will for himself to live- his home, just gone-

 

then everything just went black.

 

__________________

 

Richtofen looked horrified to say the least, and utterly heartbroken at the news he had learned. He had no words...  
And he had also learned about the recent news of Dempsey's 'ex' as well. he held no ill will towards him, rather, he liked Dempsey to where he actually wanted them to be friends, and if things really didn't work with him and Edward, then they could try, maybe. Aside from that, he hugged Dempsey, as did twenty other people. Dempsey was more surprised than annoyed, but in the end he didn't care, he just hugged back and allowed himself to relax, his gaze focused on Richtofen. 

In which, Richtofen placed a kiss on Dempsey's cheek and gently scooted him off, waving ever so slightly. "Enough of this for now, I'll see you again, Dempsey. You have someone waiting for you, I suggest you go get them and stop someone else from leaving your life." 

Dempsey went to argue but the crowd that had gathered to listen shoved him along, some cheering, others wishing luck- his faith in human really did restore sometimes. 

He walked to find Edward- _his_ Edward. He looked around, and it didn't take long to find him. He would've spotted those forest green eyes anywhere. 

Edward hesitated, looking down before he took a deep breath and looked at Dempsey, his eyes filled with so much suddenly. determination it made Tank smile. "Dempsey, I don't care if you hate me..I love you. I will not give up until I have you back or until you accept my apology. I am sorry, and I won't just- mnh!" 

Edward's eyes widened as lips pressed against his, his cheeks flushing pure red as he kissed back, his eyes fluttering closed. 

Dempsey let the kiss linger before slowly pulling back and staring at Eddie, his gaze filled with love. So much that Edward had to look away, his blush darkening as he huffed and whined. "S-stop staring at me like that, Tank..." 

Tank let out a small laugh, nuzzling Edward's exposed neck before planting a few kisses on it, his teeth soon meeting the mix as he playfully nipped at the sensitive areas.  
Edward gasped and clung to Dempsey, giggling and letting out a soft pleasured moan as he squirmed. "Tank- hmmh~♡ Stop it! No more! I'm serious- " 

Dempsey lifted Edward up and held him bridal style, carrying him out of the club while continuously biting and sucking on his neck, Despite what he said, Edward gave in. Soft moans leaving the German's lips as he covered his face and hummed, licking his lips. "Dempsey....mmhhm...." Tank pulled away, shuddering as he huffed. "Alright, take it easy babe, we aren't in a porno-" 

Edward huffed, whining before he buried his face into Dempsey's neck and began to suck on it, lightly scraping his teeth against his skin before nipping and offering a small growl. Tank rolled his head back and groaned, huffing before he glared at Edward slightly. "I will drop you." 

Edward stopped, frowning and crossing his arms as he stared at Dempsey. "hmph."

"wait till we get home, Eddie. Then you can go nuts."

Edward paused, slowly running a hand up and down Dempsey's chest before he nuzzled him. "Dempsey..?"

Tank looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "hm?"

"I love you. With every fiber of my being...and I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to...to....." Edward trailed off, feeling guilty again

"I love you too, Eddie. And I'm sorry I reacted the way I did...I just....you know. I promise I won't do this, ever again." Dempsey kissed his forehead, smiling slightly as he set Richtofen on the trunk of their car. 

"Dempsey? Why are we on the car?"

Tank shrugged, nodding back in the direction of the club.  
"Takeo has the keys. So I figured we could make out until they got here~"

Edward covered his face, whining before he wrapped his arms around Dempsey and pulled him close, kissing him a bit roughly as he pressed himself against Tank's body.  
Tank kissed back, but resisted the urge of pushing Richtofen against the car and practically screwing him there. Eddie didn't seem to mind that though, he just wanted Dempsey. 

Dempsey would keep Eddie safe.

He wouldn't lose Edward, not when he could stop it.

Tank nuzzled Edward, smiling at the moan his love released.

He would protect him.

He promised.


	8. We're a happy family-

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is happy again, and all is well. 
> 
> Just another day now, and thank God for having the days off for them.
> 
> Also finally some fucking TaNi-
> 
> For Bico c: Sorry its late Bico!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WoooOoOOOoOooooo-
> 
> The Title is a Barney reference. 
> 
> Jesus 
> 
> Smut smut smut  
> _____________

Edward was in the kitchen with Takeo, cooking up some absolutely mouth watering pancakes, of course, along side of other delicious smelling, and looking, foods.

Takeo had been the first to awake as per usual, sitting down at the kitchen table reading quietly as Edward's slightly off key humming sounded through the home. He didn't mind, he rather liked to see Richtofen so chipper and in high spirits, compared to how he was when angered or depressed.  
He kept his eyes on the newspaper while a loud yawn sounded from the doorway, making Edward look and smile. 

Dempsey stretched, his shirt lifting up slightly while his joints popped, he held the position for a long second before he relaxed and shuffled behind Richtofen, wrapping his arms around his waist and burying his face into his neck. "Mornin'.." Tank mumbled against Edward's skin, his eyebrows raising slightly. 

Takeo bothered to give a quick glance before returning his gaze to his paper, a small grin forming before he forced it away and set the paper down. Finally-

"Good Morning, Dempsey. Did you sleep well?" Takeo turned toward the two, unable to suppress his smile now. He was just happy that, well, they were happy. Seeing them get along and not have some type of goal for it made him just feel all sorts of joy.

Tank nodded at Takeo, more awake now as he pulled Edward's hips against his, kissing his love's neck and leaving playful bites before answering. "I did, really good, actually~ How about you? Was Nikolai smothering you in your sleep?"

Takeo rolled his eyes and leaned back in his seat, watching as Edward managed to wiggle away from Dempsey and finish cooking. "Luckily, no, he did not. He slept in his own room, as I did mine. He was too drunk last night."

Edward set the food on the table and laid out the plates, giving a slight confused look to Takeo. "You just let him? Get intoxicated, I mean." 

Takeo nodded, giving a dismissive wave at the astonished tone Richtofen had. "He needed it. For one night at least, and it was his own fault. He will soon learn the consequences of alcohol.."

 

"Speak of the devil, and right on time too." Dempsey stuffed a piece of a pancake into his mouth before using his fork to point towards the doorway. 

Edward and Takeo looked and saw Nikolai learning exactly as Takeo had said. He looked pained, his movements slow and just a bit still wobbly as he trudged to the table. 

"Morning sweetheart!~ Did'ja have a nice sleep?" Tank purposely bellowed, earning him a slap on the head from Takeo and a sharp glare from both Nikolai and Richtofen. Nevertheless, the Russian sat beside Takeo and toughened up, rubbing his forehead before rather bluntly offering a reply. "I feel like shit." 

"Y'look like it to, what the hell did you do last night anyway?" Dempsey ate more food, feeling a bit giddy all of a sudden.

Nikolai thought about it, rubbing his head and looking down in embaressment as heat spread across his cheeks. "I..am actually not sure about..what...um.."

Takeo placed a fork in Nikolai's hand, and then placed some food onto his plate before leaning closer and kissing his cheek, his expression stern, but his eyes more than showing his love and affection. "Eat, and drink water." Was all the words toward Nikolai from Takeo before he began to eat his own food. 

Nikolai blinked and then smiled, obediently doing as he was told and occasionally watching Takeo do what he dubbed as 'act cute'. How he ate amused him, actually, Takeo had a habit that started out of no where. It consisted of the smaller male biting off a tad bit more than he could chew, litterally. Whenever Takeo ate, his cheeks would be somewhat stuffed, but enough to make him resemble a chipmunk.  
Whenever Nikolai saw it he couldn't help but laugh or even try to poke his cheek, but Takeo never got the hint of anything odd with how he ate.

Tank was done already, but he didn't feel like getting up, as Edward had just sat down and began to eat his own breakfast.  
He didn't wanna leave Eddie, so he scooted closer, though in a way that was so obviously done to embarrass the man, he couldn't help but smirk as Edward paused his chewing just to look at Dempsey and give him a confused look. 

He scooted closer again, attempting to keep a straight face as he got closer...and closer....and closer-  
Until finally he and Edward were touching arms.  
Edward took it as, 'don't encourage him.', so he minded his own business and ate his food, hiding the sudden rush of need and want beneath a calm and collected appearance. Dempsey was so close, he could easily make a sneaky move and slide his hand somewhere that would make the Marine practically melt, but he restrained from doing so.  
The thought of Dempsey and him getting off, right here in front of the others, the thought of Dempsey picking him up and slamming him against the table, taking him in every way possible, thrusting in and out-  
The dryness of his mouth and throat made it difficult to swallow his food, and when he did, his only focus was on the sudden heat pooling up inside of him with his sinful thoughts.  
He gripped onto his fork tighter, his knuckles going white as he stared at his plate, his appetite gone. He was hungry for something else. The contact of skin on skin, despite it being his arm, made him shudder, the look in his eyes hazy and on the verge of tipping over that scale boundary he had set for himself.

Dempsey apparently noticed the tension and sudden change, as the playful look in his eyes changed into one of desire. He wrapped his left around Edward and nuzzled him, but kept it simple and fluffy. Takeo got up and went to get ready for the day, and Nikolai followed after sluggishly, which left the two of them alone. 

Something about being sneaky rather than throwing all caution to the wind, it turned Dempsey on. It excited him, gave him an extra kick to try and earn something. His arm casually slid to Edward's waist rubbing and massaging, all while he kept a nonchalant expression, his gaze on the table, wandering lazily he glanced at things and gave no interest in them.  
Edward was so confused, but his thoughts went silent as Dempsey's arm moved away from his back and towards his front, his hand now placed on Edward's thigh.  
He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the tingling sensation that was left in the areas Dempsey's hand once was as it moved, slowly up and down..  
Edward was unraveling at the seams, his breathing becoming labored as Dempsey continued, he thought he couldn't take anymore when suddenly he felt Tank's mouth beside his ear, his hot breath brushing against his sensitive skin as he trembled. He could tell now, Dempsey wanted it just as bad as he did too. His breathing was hard and a bit erratic, but he kept an otherwise calm appearance. 

Suddenly Dempsey's hand was inbetween Edward's thighs, rubbing slow circles with his index and middle finger, applying pressure against his overly sensitive, and clothed erection.  
Edward inhaled shakily, eyes watering slightly as he went to let out a soft cry of pleasure, but he found himself unable to do so.  
Tank was set on making this quiet, he had no clue why, but it was certainly becoming a game Edward was willing to play if it meant him being touched. Dempsey was kissing Edward, but it was such a chaste kiss- so tender and loving, he wasn't sure what would do him in first. The emotion of the kiss, or the feeling of pleasure that was getting more and more intense.  
He let out a weak moan into Dempsey's mouth, which the man just ignored and continued to kiss him. He parted his lips and Tank slipped his tongue in, wrapping it around Edward's and rubbing them together. 

Tank pulled away from the kiss, his hand still at work as he watched Edward's face twisted from pleasure to annoyance, and back again. Eddie went forward to kiss Dempsey again, though make it more filthy and hot, but Tank simply held him still and continued his agonizingly slow rubbing.  
Edward was trembling, begging, even near crying just for Dempsey to touch him more, to give him what he needed- and Dempsey so nearly gave in, but recovered and placed gentle kisses down Eddie's neck, praising him and telling him how good he was, which only made Edward squirm and whine. 

Takeo and Nikolai were quietly watching from just outside the kitchen, peeking in slightly as to not get caught. Why were _they_ trying to hide? It was Richtofen and Dempsey that needed to worry about getting caught, but apparently it didn't phase them.  
Takeo would have normally felt...disgusted by even watching this- He would have felt filthy- but for whatever reason, right now he felt a bit...envious? Curious? He wasn't sure. The way those two loved each other, was certainly odd, and consisted of so much sex Takeo was positive they're relationship wouldn't last. A relationship based off of that alone could never make it- but then he saw what they really were together. It may seem like always sex and beyond intimate touching with them, but they actually had so much love and mushy raw feeling for each other- it was special. They couldn't express how they felt about each other by words, and small things, weren't enough. By this, they never just 'screwed' or 'fucked', they made love. Each and every time, it was never just sex, it was always them bonding, them getting closer and closer- them showing how much they really loved each other.  
And Takeo finally understood that. It was odd, but he did. And he supposed...he wished he could have that same type of love.

Takeo's gaze slid to Nikolai unintentionally, and he stared and stared....this dummy- made him fall for him. Him.  
His heart started to speed up, and he quickly backed away from the pleasured moans coming from inside the kitchen, retreating to his room as quietly as humanly possible.  
He felt conflicted..he wanted that love, but that sort of thing takes time...he felt like a child, so impatient, he wanted it and he wanted it now- 

He blinked and then mentally scolded himself for behaving such a way, sighing he sat on his bed and gave a weak, but firm tug on the hidden clip in his bun and let his hair cascade down his back. He slid off his shirt and tossed it aside before laying on his bed, his eyes closed and his arms on either side of his head.  
He was so lost in his moment of enjoying his soft bed that he didn't hear the door close or the footsteps leading up to him hesitantly, until he felt the bed shift and dip as someone joined him on it. He didn't freak out, and he didn't over think, he just laid there and continued to relax. He knew who it was. Nikolai always gave off his own particular aura, one that Takeo could always spot right off the bat. He wouldn't need to worry.

It was silent. No noise. No rustling. Nothing except the steady breathing of Takeo. Out of nowhere, slight calloused fingertips lightly traced over his exposed chest, tracing small circles in his skin before slowly going lower. The hands of a carpenter. Takeo let out a small hum of approval, trying not to squirm or move at the slight ticklish touches.  
The fingers slid down to Takeo's abdomen, suddenly a full hand enclosed around one of his hips and he felt his heart jump a bit, then the other hand did the same to his other hip, and they were brought up to possibly grind against the other's hips- but what he felt wasn't hips. He allowed himself to arch his back slightly, a small surprised gasp sounding out as his body reacted immediately, heat pooling in his groin as he spread his legs open wider. He hadn't meant to, but even so, his 'captor' took it as an invitation and repeated the action of mouthing Takeo's length just from above his tight pants. The warmth of the other's mouth- the heat and the saliva that soaked through and reached him fully this time, a small moan leaving his parted lips. He began to rock his hips into the mouth of the other, groaning softly before he finally opened his eyes. 

Nikolai was inbetween Takeo's thighs, holding firmly onto his hips while he mouthed over his stiffening length. What caught Takeo a bit off guard, was that Nikolai had his eyes wide open and was staring at him with so much love. He went to rub Nikolai's face and pull him back up, but suddenly the bigger man had a whole new plan. He unzipped Takeo's pants, quickly tugging them and his boxers off while doing the same with his own. Takeo had to admit, he felt pure fear then and there. He was small, but that didn't mean he couldn't kick Nikolai's ass. In such a vulnerable state, he was weakened and overcome with desire rather than the purpose to stay strong, so his odds of winning against the Russian now, weren't in his favor. He sat up and began to crawl more toward the middle of the bed, his eyes wide as he looked around for something to help him- 

Nikolai was undressed now as well, and he had crawled on top of Takeo, eyeing him lustfully as he slid a hand down his side.  
Takeo winced, looking away and shaking in what he hated to admit was still fear. Nikolai seemed confused, and then it all fell into place. He couldn't blame Takeo for being fearful, he did go a bit too fast into this part. He brushed his hand across Takeo's cheek before covering his neck and chest in kisses, nuzzling him affectionately.  
Takeo visibly relaxed, slowly looking at Nikolai and giving an ashamed look. "...i...I'm....s-" Nikolai cut Takeo off, kissing him softly and lovingly. It was so sweet, Takeo kissed back with a bit more sexual intent than he meant to. He pulled away, looking to the side before shifting his hips slightly.  
Nikolai went down slowly, kissing and sucking on different areas of Takeo's body, his eyes on him the whole time.  
He lifted the smaller male's legs and chuckled at his shy expression, sliding his tongue across the inside of Takeo's thighs before flicking it across his tip.

Takeo's body gave a small jolt, a tiny rush of pleasure coursing through him as he huffed, sweat already beginning to coat thin layers over his body from all his excitement.  
He wasn't known for being greedy or impatient, but right now, he didn't care what he was known for. The look in his eyes made Nikolai laugh, but he quickly got down to business, gliding his tongue up and down Takeo's shaft and slicking him up with his saliva before taking him fully into his mouth and sucking, bobbing his head up and down as much as he could while his hand worked the rest of Takeo's length.  
The look of pure ecstasy on Takeo's face, how his eyes shimmered, the rapid rise and fall of his chest with each breath, how his mouth hung agape, everything about him made Nikolai want him more, and so he went lower and lower, nearly deep throating him as he watched every sweet expression on his love's face.  
Takeo was over the edge, his hair sprawled out behind him, though it only made him look beautiful in a way. He rolled his hips up and then gave a light thrust, his fists clenching as he moaned out Nikolai's name. Every few pumps of his hand and his sucking, Takeo seemed to moan his name again and again, each time getting more drawn out until he was practically begging, his face flushed pink. Nikolai moved his hand away and let his mouth work on the rest of finishing Takeo off. After all, his love deserved the best. He sucked hard and slow, lightly dragging his teeth against Takeo's shaft before going faster and swirling his tongue around it. He was close, he just needed to get a bit more, Takeo could feel the pressure building up, part of him hated it, he felt dirty and impure, but the other part, the one that overpowered those feelings, absolutely loved it and wanted it to last forever. He tensed up, feeling Nikolai's hand beside his hip and grabbing it, lacing their fingers together as he moved his hips, huffing out something softly in his native tongue. They had all lived in America long enough for their accents to be mostly washed away, but that didn't mean they didn't talk their own babble of language every so often. Takeo felt himself about to climax, when he heard the softest thing come from Nikolai's mouth as he pulled off for a split second, his heartbeat picking up its pace as he blushed, a whole new emotion surging forth. That love he had wanted so desperately, the one Dempsey and Richtofen had, he didn't realize it but...there was a man, right here, with him, that loved him in a way he hadn't thought possible. He felt.. sad..? No, he was happy, extremely, but he felt like crying. That was new, and he wasn't sure how to exactly express his emotion aside from letting out a tiny squeak that cracked halfway through him doing it. Nikolai pulled away again, looking at Takeo and blinking before gently placing a hand on his cheek and caressing him. "Are you alright love?" _Love,_ that's what this all was, love, not just mindless sex- Takeo hugged Nikolai, a dark blush on his face as he nuzzled him and pulled him along as he fully laid on his back, the force making them bounce a bit before the smaller man managed to tug and pull his blanket over them, a genuine smile never leaving his face as he wrapped his arms around Nikolai and kissed his cheek. He didn't feel like sex anymore, at all, even. He only wanted, to stay close to Nikki for as long as they both could. Nikolai seemed confused by the sudden change of things, but in all honesty he loved this more than anything. He held Takeo close, kissing him softly and lovingly before relaxing into the bed and smiling. "I love you too, Takeo~" Takeo said nothing, instead he buried his face into the larger man's chest and closed his eyes, feeling content. He was happy. He was very happy. He loved, and was loved in return, He got the attention he desired without having to even say a thing- And despite them all being crazy, He had a family. He couldn't ask for anything more.


	9. MAJOR REVIEW,,,,

So this is is my biggest apologie ever because I'm so sorry!

I've been caught up with stuff and then I had writers block for the longest time, and writing or trying to only pushed me deeper into a damn unimaginative side.

 

You're probably all pissed- or you probably don't care! But I will try to finish this whole thing as best as I can, and I'm so sorry about the wait! Happy Father's day to all dads, and I hope you all have a great rest of the day!


	10. Just some late night bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ever have problems where you just can't sleep?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took....too long. 
> 
> I know it probably pissed a lot of you off, but I had writers block for so long I couldn't even form a stupid story line right-
> 
> Here you go anybody even bothering with this anymore, 
> 
> I thought it'd be nice to cover a serious realistic problem that lots of people including myself have

10 o'clock. Time for bed.

Stay up a bit longer…

12 o'clock. Should really sleep now,,

1 am…

2 am…….

3-

It had been like that for the past couple of weeks now. Go to work, come home, clean up, lay down go to bed, get up, go to work, come home-- except now Dempsey couldn't sleep. Usually he'd be exhausted after work and he'd pass out the moment he hit the bed, but now it was like his brain wouldn't stop. Like a person, he loved to chat with them- and everyone had their times to relax and their times to work, but right now the said person was talking non-stop everyday, every night, every bloody hour- and quite frankly he was fucking sick of it. He just wanted a week of peace and quiet- a day even if a week was too much to ask for- but he never got it.  
It was taking it's toll on him, he was beyond tired, it not only showed physically but mentally to him. He had bags under his eyes, he was even more irritable and explosive with his temper for the smallest of inconveniences now, but it's not like he enjoyed it anymore than the other three did. Takeo stayed out of his way, Nikolai was busy with work to begin with- and Edward tried vainly to help but in the end it only pissed Dempsey off more. ‘what's on your mind?’ ‘have you been eating right?’ ‘are people bothering you?’ ‘clearly something is bothering you enough that you can't sleep-’ all the annoying questions you could possibly think of. Yes, Tank was healthy, he hadn't been drinking alcohol or being fed on junk food- He was a grown man, he took care of himself. People weren't his problem- nothing was wrong. But no matter what he told Richtofen, he simply said, ‘well you're upset about something!’ and that, of course, was the last straw for poor Tank before he either flipped his shit or he gave Richtofen a very unsettling enough stare to make him leave. He never once gave thought that, hey, maybe he literally just can't sleep, and that alone is very bothersome. He felt like he'd tried everything- diets, exercise, meditation- but none of it worked. 

Tonight was no exception, it was 4 am, Tank lay in bed next to Edward like usual- but his mind was blank yet open and so very awake that it was maddening. So much so, that he couldn't even hold Edward anymore without feeling like he was being smothered. His head hurt, his body was tired, but his mind refused to sleep just like any other night- wasn't Richtofen supposed to be the one with this…. Edward let out a soft mumble and rolled on his side, facing away from Tank as he let out a happy coo. Lucky. He was dreaming- a good one too… Quietly, Dempsey lifted the covers and slid out of bed, walking out of the room and heading to the living room to try and sleep up there. Maybe he was just too crowded?  
Alas, poor Dempsey… in seriousness, he was about ready to throw someone out a damn window- the TV just about blaring and the colorful patterns that danced across the darkened house walls gave him enough information that someone else was awake and already up there. He went anyways, mostly to turn the TV down or off- or smash it,, his eyebrows furrowed together and a frown on his face as he went in. 

Nikolai was there just laying long ways on the couch, remote on the floor and his gaze more or less looking through the screen- not at it. He looked just as tired as Dempsey felt. Poor guy. It did change Tank's mood though, he wasn't as angry at least. He walked up to the TV and bent to the side a bit, lowering the volume and catching Nikolai's attention, in which he got an apologetic look and a bit of guilt. “I'm sorry- was it bothering you? I didn't realize it was that loud…” Tank waved it off and hesitated before he walked over and sat at the far end of the couch, looking at the wall. “I wasn't sleeping. So you definitely didn't wake me up.” Nikolai fixed himself and sat up before giving a small gesture to the literal spot beside him. “You're awfully far away, I'm not a stranger am i?” He gave Dempsey a questioning look, but there was a hint of humor in his tired voice. “Well no more than usual…” Tank offered a small laugh and a weak smile, scooting closer until he and Nikolai were just an inch or two apart. “So why are you awake? Don't you have work tomorrow?” Nikolai shook his head and gave a small shrug, rubbing his face before he glanced at the TV. “I couldn't sleep either, and I took the next few days ‘off’. My focus at work has been diminishing greatly…” Tank didn't seem surprised, but at the same time he felt bad.. Nikolai deserved a break more than anyone in the house. He rested his head against Nikolai's shoulder and blinked, giving him a small nudge. “...sorry about that… at least you can try to sleep for a good couple of days, right..?” “I suppose….I assume you haven't had a good night's rest in some time..?” Nikolai moved his arm around Dempsey and tugged him close so his head laid upon his chest instead. “Nope. Ed hasn't been much of a help either. I know he means well, but he's doing the opposite of helping me….” Tank pressed further into Nikolai and wrapped his arms around his torso, snuggling into him a small bit, his eyelids suddenly feeling heavy.. “I understand completely… Takeo has been trying to do the same with me.. remedies, reading, becoming ‘at peace’ with who I am-- some days may be nice but… even i only have so much I can take…” Tank listened to Nikolai speak, nodding a bit as he blinked- much slower this time. “maybe all we need is the sense of being ourselves- being free and unbound by life at stressful times… maybe that is where our sleep has been faltering. We are too much focused on our daily lives and how fast or how slow they can be, that we completely over look what matters in those times…” Nikolai glanced at Tank and smiled, moving his left hand up to run his fingers through his hair in a soothing manner. “Don't you agree?~” Tank was half asleep, but still doing his best to listen as he twitched slightly, a chaste pleasure rushing through him as he tried to form words, but the gentle pull of his hair again..and again…. And again- finally managed to lull him into a peaceful sleep, his breathing heavy and slow as he hummed softly. Nikolai gave a hearty laugh and rubbed Dempsey's head before he tugged him up and leaned back, getting comfortable before he closed his eyes. “Or maybe, you just need comfort now and then….”

 

~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again I'm so sorry..I know my excuses won't help, so I'll simply leave it at this 
> 
> I truly am sorry. I shall try harder!~
> 
> Also this was done at, four in the morning. Coincidence?
> 
> I apologize for any grammar errors,,,
> 
> This was supposed to be a guy talk kinda thing you know? Just relaxing with your best friend- but if you wanna ship them together you're more than welcome to- *thumbs up*


	11. Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get a little too heated up between everyone, and not in a good way..
> 
> Things will all work out in the end, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think I've ever finished this long of a story in such a short amount of time-
> 
> I checked for errors but I couldn't find any?? That's good but- if you find any let me know and I will change them as soon as possible! I'm a blind person without glasses who am I kidding-
> 
> Also yes. NiDe. Praise the NiDe.
> 
> _________________________________________

Morning came faster than the two cuddled together on the couch would've liked, but it didn't matter.

What mattered was that they both slept. 

Gods be praised- they actually slept and neither woke up stiff and sore, they woke up happy and comfortable, it was such a big difference on their moods too. Dempsey was up first, though Nikolai awoke as soon as he felt the loss of Tank's weight, not that it was uncomfortable, quite the opposite actually, he liked it, but for whatever reason his brain jumped out of sleep mode and he was grabbing at Dempsey to keep him from leaving.  
The action certainly scared the hell out of Tank, he even let out a cut short yelp, his other hand flying to his chest as he let out a shaky exhale. “you- fucking asshole….!” Nikolai let go of his hand and started laughing, trying to apologize but those words didn't come out so well- it was all jumbled and mixed in with his laughter so it came out a bit like an old man wheezing. Dempsey glared at him and hissed, a soft tint of red rising onto his cheeks as he grumbled and walked off to the kitchen, stomping all the way there. “You know, I prefer to sleep with my partner, not alone- what have I done to upset my fluffy bear?” Richtofen's voice broke through Nikolai's laughter, making the Russian perk up a bit before he quieted down and wiped away the tears that had formed. Been awhile since he laughed that hard. Richtofen walked into the living room looking still a bit sleepy, everything about him disheveled as he yawned and stared at Nikolai. “...you're not Dempsey…” He turned away without another word and whined out, walking sluggishly to the kitchen. “Deeeeempseeeeeeyyyy…..” Tank groaned and set his cup of freshly made coffee on the kitchen table before he seated himself, not bothering to get up again as he glanced at the doorway. “M’in here…” Edward smiled and perked up, going in a bit faster and walking straight up to him as he bent over and gave him a gentle kiss, humming softly. “Good morning~ Did you sleep at all?” Nikolai walked in and sat beside Tank, patting his back with a gleeful smile. “He did. We both did, actually.” Tank nodded in agreement, taking a sip of his coffee before he added to Nikolai's words. “damn good sleep, actually...I feel much better.” Edward made a face at how...suggestive that sounded.. but he knew better. Tank and Nikolai were best friends, the close kind, they'd probably tell each other about their sex life or how specifically they did things. He shrugged it off and went to make breakfast, Takeo entering and going to sit by Nikolai as he gave him a kiss similar to the one Edward gave Tank. Not much else happened aside from Edward heading out to get more supplies for his research and Takeo heading to work- though when Takeo and Nikolai kissed and it got a little more than heated Dempsey didn't hesitate to cut in with a loud ‘ewwww’ and ‘get a room’. His response was surprisingly a laugh from Nikolai and a not surprising glare from Takeo before he left- but Tank had to look away. Nikolai laughing was nice...he needed to do that more often. 

And more often, he did. 

Over the course of Nikolai and Tank's days off, they slept together, woke up together, spent the day together, and then did the whole thing over again- together. When work came around, both were more than ready and willing to get back to it, though wielding always left Tank sore, and being a carpenter made for some minor injuries now and then, it didn't stop them from being their usual happy selves. At first, Edward and Takeo didn't mind, they both loved the fact that their lovers were getting sleep and that they were happy- but over the course of it all, it started to become a nuisance.  
Tank would leave somewhere, Nikolai would follow without a second thought- Nikolai left somewhere? Tank was right behind him. When dinner came it wasn't even an all talking conversation, it was just Takeo and Edward by themselves while Dempsey and Nikolai chatted away without a care in the world. Night time? You'd be a little silly if you thought they'd leave each other at this time especially. They were inseparable, they were becoming a little too close, and it was growing beyond irritating to both Takeo and Richtofen. 

On a particular night, Edward couldn't help but notice Nikolai had been a bit more friendly to Tank than necessary, his pats turning into touches- and his touches turning into...caressing??? It was at lunch, Takeo was in his room eating, presumably sick and tired of watching the two's buddy buddy display- Nikolai had made Dempsey laugh so hard he flicked his fork up a bit and got mashed potatoes on his own cheek, and Nikolai was quick to help him fix his little mistake. “Heh..You made a mess. Here...let me..~” Nikolai moved his hand up and cupped Dempsey's face, wiping the food off of his cheek with his thumb before he let his touch linger just a split second too long- and Tank's face was anything but friendly and joking, he looked like a timid stupid high-school girl who was being talked up- and he didn't do a damn thing about it.  
Edward slammed his silverware onto the table, making the other two jump in surprise as they clearly forgot about their ‘company’. Edward said nothing and just walked out, angry and slightly hurt- but no. Dempsey would never leave him for….someone like Nikolai. 

The next day was when it all came crashing down.  
Tank was going out to pick up some lunch and Nikolai of course went with him, nobody was cooking tonight- Takeo and Edward sat in the front room waiting for them to return- for three hours. They had texted, called, left voice mails, for both of them- and nothing came back. Towards midnight they finally came back, Tank seeing Edward first thing as he walked in- and he gave a guilty look, weakly holding up the bag of food as Nikolai walked in behind him, blushing from embarrassment as Takeo stared him down. “we…..have the food...heh…” Tank fell silent and Edward tapped his fingers on his kneecap as he leaned back. “Where were you both...for three and a half hours…” Tank opened his mouth to speak but Nikolai spoke for him, gently patting his arm. “We were getting the food.” Takeo muttered out a soft response, his arms crossed as he frowned. “I don't think Richtofen was speaking to you, Nikolai…” “Well he got the fucking answer anyway..” Nikolai snapped back, glaring at Takeo before he felt Tank's hand press against his chest. “Hey, come on- ease up…” “Enough with the touching!! That's all you both have been doing- is that why you were both gone for three hours?!” Edward stood and huffed, walking up to them and pushing them apart before he shoved a finger right into Dempsey's face and started to go all out, and Tank just yelled right back until they couldn't hear anything the other was saying anymore. Nikolai went to pull Tank away but Takeo was up too now, tugging Nikolai away from them as he spoke in a hushed angry tone. “Speak up! You only ever say your useless insults to me when you mumble and whisper, be the ‘big strong man’ you are Takeo, and talk louder!” Nikolai yanked his arm away from Takeo and stared at him, eyes narrowed and dark as he only focused on him. It's what he wanted right? All his attention? Takeo shoved Nikolai back and then he began to yell, shaking slightly as he clenched his fists and held back what little emotion there was beside anger. 

Richtofen hadn't let up, and he wasn't about to, no no, not now. “I try to help you- what more do you want from me?! I love you, I put up with everything you dish out even if it's your stupid temper-! I've been trying to fix your problem since the beginning- and he comes in and suddenly your problems are gone in a day!?! I want you to be happy, I want you to be safe and content but how is avoiding me showing me you love me at all-” Tank covered Edward's mouth and huffed, his jaw clenching slightly as he shook his head and slowly spoke in the calmest way he could. “...Maybe I have been a bit of a dick lately, and I can see why you're upset. I don't blame you, I'd be jealous too- but don't you ever fucking try to bring this to ‘me proving I love you’. If I didn't love you, what makes you honestly think I'd want to stay here? Huh? No- really! Apparently I don't fucking love you from what you're saying, and I'm just fooling around and being a bad boyfriend-! Why? Because I'm having a good time with my best friend-! _WHY?_ Because I'm getting better sleep! Because I for once can relax and not have you shove your bullshit down my throat!!! So because of all of those things, and because we got stuck in traffic for an hour, had to drive across town to get another restaurant that wasn't closed, and then come all the way back- I'm a fucking good for nothing scumbag who doesn't know how to be loyal! Right?!” He let go of Edward and looked down slightly, scoffing. “you wouldn't even believe me in that- I think you're the one who needs to be getting this pinned on since you're so fucking ‘perfect’…” Tank definitely wasn't expecting to be shoved back so hard- and he definitely didn't expect the sudden harsh press of bony knuckles into his cheek as he stumbled back slightly, holding where he got punched before he looked up at Richtofen, eyes wide. Edward was shaking, his green eyes unsure and...scared….worried…? Oh god what had he done… he acted out of impulse, pure instinct- His eyes filled with tears as he reached forward and croaked out a soft ‘I'm sorry-’ but Dempsey was too far gone for that now. Takeo and Nikolai had stopped fighting and Takeo went to comfort Eddie, while Nikolai rushed over to Dempsey and gently tried to move his hand away, which all he got in return was a hiss and a glare. “Richtofen- what the hell were you thinking?!” Nikolai looked at Edward and shook his head. Eddie whimpered and just backed away in shame, shaking as he mumbled to himself. Tank walked away and headed to their bedroom, grabbing a bag and stuffing some of his clothes in it before he went to get a few other things, his hand still covering where Richtofen hit him. Fucker can punch...that's for sure.. Nikolai had followed suit, it was probably best not to stay in the same place with them right now… he packed quickly, tugging his bag along as he went outside and waited for Tank. Edward tried to get Dempsey's attention when he walked by, clinging to him as he buried his face into his chest and shook. “please don't go…” But Tank still didn't listen, he just shoved him off and headed out to meet Nikolai, both of them walking away while Takeo and Edward sat there in complete silence. What do they do now…..

 

~~


	12. Don't over think it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad things may have happened, but sometimes just a few tiny words can help make a difference.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was a little delayed- I apologize! 
> 
> I forced myself to write and it came out decent I hope aw geez-! 
> 
> I did try-! Though I didn't have that many ideas for those chapter without making it too cluttered and unplot related. 
> 
> Bromancing it up in here~♡
> 
> Anyway I hope you enjoy!
> 
> ___________________________________

“I should have shoved him back- at the very least!”

“And then what? Beat him to a bloody pulp? What good would that do besides cause even more problems.”

“Still! Both of them! What do they think, that we just stayed out for three hours, fucking in the drive thru of a fast food restaurant!? And Edward hit you-!”

“You don't think I'm not mad about that? About any of this? Honestly Nikolai, what else can we do right now, and for once I hate to admit being angry and thinking about this isn't getting us anywhere. We just...have to cool off for a few hours, we'll all be in the house, and hopefully this can get sorted out..”

 

Nikolai huffed and plopped down right beside Dempsey on the bed, his attention on him as he reached forward and put a hand underneath his chin, tipping his head up so he could get a better look- not that it wasn't already visible. 

Dempsey's left cheek was bruising slightly already, a bit puffy and swollen, but not too much. He didn't seem to be bothered by it at all, little mister tough guy-- but in truth Edward's bony knuckles made it have more of an effect than his strength would have. Richtofen was strong- but not so good with fighting. He had a good shot at Dempsey either way. “You act as though you're accustomed to such violent acts….” Nikolai looked into Tank's eyes, searching- the man for once wasn't showing his usual display of emotion, which made it nearly impossible to tell what he felt right now. “Well, I wasn't raised to be a little baby. Besides, you should know why I'm use to this…” Nikolai glanced away and then got up, walking the the bathroom in search of some towels and maybe a first aid kit. “I will try to find you something….” 

Tank just shook his head and blinked, his phone in his pocket vibrating before he took it out and swiped the screen, his jaw clenching slightly as he gazed over at the missed calls and messages he had from Edward. Not that he didn't love him- but right now he just needed some time...

[Text] : _where are you both, are you okay…?_

[Text] : _I'm sorry….please call me or text me- I didn't mean it- god I feel so awful.._

[Text] : _Dempsey? Please tell me you're both coming back soon…._

The screen changed to a number calling, it was Edward again, he pressed the hang up key and was about to turn his phone off when Edward called again, Tank's eye twitching slightly in irritation as he answered, putting the phone by his ear. 

_“Hello? Dempsey! Are you okay? Where did you and Nikolai go?? Please come home- we can all sit down and just talk abou-”_

Dempsey hung up and turned his phone off completely before tossing it aside and laying back, his gaze fixated on the ceiling until Nikolai came back and slid beside Tank again, pressing a cold wet cloth against his bruise and making him wince slightly. “sorry...I can't risk this getting further swollen. Are you doing okay..?” Nikolai looked at Dempsey and furrowed his eyebrows, looking more worried and not at all upset like he had been before. “Yeah. I'm good…… how….uh- what about you..? I didn't mean to listen in on you and Takeo or anything but….” Nikolai blinked and then paused before he set the cloth down and sighed, looking frustrated as he thought for a moment. “...he's like….a puzzle I cannot figure out…. He craves me and my attention one day, and the next he will not want a single thing to do with me… yet every night he whispers sweet words of love- I do not grasp at what he intends to do with my mind, but I feel as though he manipulates me at times.” 

Tank sat up and ran a hand through his hair, giving a weak smile as he hummed out a soft laugh. “I think I know Takeo more than I let on. He's been my friend and go to person to talk with for a long time. I get what you mean- he's like a weird door that just opens whenever it wants and then closes out of nowhere- but with how long I've known him personally, he's just...scared. He told me before he's never let anyone besides us even remotely close, not even his own family. I think he just needs some coaxing and some time before he opens up fully- I mean you both did just recently start dating, maybe that's why..?” Nikolai gave a soft nod and smiled a bit, staring at Dempsey with a look of admiration before he just laughed.  
“Since when were you the one giving such good advice?” 

“Since I got punched right in the face by Eddie.” Tank groaned and Nikolai laughed more, the tension and stress leaving a bit as he visibly started to relax. “If I had known I might have just told Richtofen to punch you sooner,” “Ouch. That's harsh man, do you know how bad bruises look on my beautiful face? It'd take so much convincing to get Takeo to help me cover it up with something-” Tank grinned and Nikolai just waved it off. “Oh please, just use some of your makeup and do it yourself.” “I ran out of cover up! This handsome devil is all natural at times but everybody has their days where they can't leave home without makeup!” Nikolai snorted while Dempsey gave him a playful punch on the arm. 

“You laugh now, but trust me, you'll understand soon enough- actually I think you already do. You just need the makeup now.” “Hey, fuck you- I'm plenty beautiful already without makeup, who could resist this?~” Nikolai did a sexy pose and smirked, being dramatic for good measure. Tank stared at him blankly, raising his eyebrows. “Well either I'm blind to beauty or you're the opposite because I'm not getting affected at all-” Nikolai glared at sat up properly, pouncing on Dempsey and getting on top of him. “You're an asshole, you know that, Dempsey?” “Well I've definitely heard it a few times but ya know I just wanted to be extra sure so- oh wow~ Gee Nikolai I can totally feel it now, oh gosh it's too much-” Tank dramatically gasped and then huffed out, looking woozy. “Ha- I told you nobody could resist!~” “Really? Well you know. I was referring to your weight, it's literally too much you're fucking crushing me with your fat ass- now get ofF- hUHFN YOU FUCK--” Tank wheezed and coughed as Nikolai started to jump on him, glaring at him. “Sorry Dempsey, what was that? I can't quite hear you-” Tank grunted out and then pushed all his strength into throwing Nikolai off, panting and gasping as he held his chest. “holy sHIT- YOU WEIGH LIKE A THOUSAND FUCKING POUNDS, YOU FAt bASTARD-” Nikolai tackled him off the bed and they both started to wrestle and pin the other down, insults and swears coming from them nonstop. 

“Cow!”

“Drag Queen!”

“aT LEAST PEOPLE COULD CARRY THE QUEEN-”

“THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT BY DRAG QUEEN DUMBASS-” 

They both stopped when Nikolai's phone started to ring, Nikolai's hand shoved into Dempsey's face, smushing it onto the floor while Dempsey had his leg up and foot pushed against Nikolai's shoulder. Nikolai and Dempsey pulled apart, both standing before Nikolai went and grabbed his phone, checking it. “it's Takeo…” He looked at Tank and then answered it, putting it on speaker. “Hello..?”

_“Nikki, is Dempsey with you?”_

“Yes...why?”

_“Edward is worried sick and nobody needs any more to deal with than we already have. Come home… we all need to talk about this…”_

“We left for a reason, Takeo. We will return tomorrow, but for now, we could all use some time apart….”

Takeo went silent before he let out a soft sigh and then just hung up, going to tell Edward about them. Nikolai closed his phone and then crossed his arms, looking at Dempsey with a small smile. “We should sleep. Tomorrow will undoubtedly be a long day.” Tank nodded and walked to the bed, Nikolai following as they both turned out the lights and laid down beside each other. They still helped each other sleep. Dempsey rested his head on Nikolai's arm as it wrapped around him and tugged him close, just like it had the first time. 

“Goodnight, Nikolai.”

“Goodnight, Dempsey…”

“See you in the morning.”

 

 

~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for any grammar errors!
> 
> Your comments and kudos- everything is so greatly appreciated! Thank you!~☆


	13. It's okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally time for the family to be an actual family again!~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am... incredibly sorry for any errors???
> 
> It's 2 am 
> 
> I've had a long day 
> 
> I had no hope for this chapter then suddenly inspiration struck upon thee. I really hope you enjoy it-! 
> 
> Also just. WARNING , smut in this chapter but it's nothing super big. Next chapter will have definite smut I promise-! So if you wanna avoid the smut skip the shower scene right when it gets to that part. 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> ________________________

It was seven or eight am, the sun was up and brightening the day once more, birds and other animals waking up and singing their daily tune- it was peaceful. It wasn't scorching hot or freezing cold- it was perfect with a nice breeze to add on. 

Edward was barely waking up- yawning softly as he blinked and stared at the wall for a moment, last night's events playing back in his head as he suddenly lost his happy and calm moment- 

Dempsey…. He hurt Dempsey…. True he was jealous, but they were adults...he could have gone about it all a much better way… and now he probably lost the one thing that mattered most to him. Tears welled up in his eyes, his bottom lip trembling slightly as he quickly brought a hand up and covered his face, he needed a good moment or two to cry, he might have just officially ended their relationship. He let out a small sob, shaking as he turned to his other side and allowed himself to break for a moment, feeling pathetic and useless…

“...Eddie..?” 

Richtofen immediately moved his hands away and looked at the body laying next to him, his green eyes widening slightly as he blinked. When-? He had been too busy with waking up and the immediate guilt that he hadn't taken note of the weight just beside him or the body heat coming off of the other. He was so confused- when did he get home? “D-dempsey..! What….but you and Nikolai- Gott-! Your cheek! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to….” He whimpered and backed into the wall, hugging himself as he shook, tears rolling down his cheeks. “Eddie….hey-” Tank reached out, but didn't touch him, cooing softly as if he were talking to a startled animal. “Look at me...it's okay. I'm not mad. I'm the one who should be apologizing to you..and- I'm sorry… I should have at least tried to explain what was happening so it didn't seem like I was just leaving you behind..”

Was he dreaming? Was this real..? Edward shakily reached towards Dempsey, scooting closer bit by bit until he got in front of him again, his hand moving up and resting against Tank's cheek before he slid it across his jaw slightly. The soft prickly feel of stubble, his firm jaw.. it felt too good to be true. Dempsey leaned into Edward's touch and moved his hand up, placing it on top of Eddie's before he moved it behind his head and pulled him close, kissing him softly as he wiped away the tears that continued to pour freely from Richtofen's glassy eyes. Such a emotional sap… Tank broke the kiss and gave a soft sigh, wrapping his arms around Edward and holding him close. “Eddie….calm down already love...you're gonna end up tiring yourself out…” 

“I can't help it...I just don't understand why you came back….especially to me...how could you forgive me….?” Edward buried his face into Dempsey's chest, silently continuing to cry as he waited for an answer.

“It isn't your fault. I already told you…. I should have spoke more...as for why I'm here- I do live here you know… I mean I sort of figured- hey, ow…” Tank frowned but smiled shortly after, staring at a grumpy faced Richtofen who had just bit him. “So soon…”

“I know I know...I was just kidding- spoil sport… anyway… Nikolai and I decided to come home early. Right now he's with Takeo no doubt giving him the same talk me and you are having. I didn't feel like coming in midday when it's even worse...I was figured talking this out sooner would help. When we got here you two had already gone to sleep so we just laid beside you until we passed out.” Tank rubbed Edward's back before he slowly let go of him and started to sit up, stretching as he huffed and went to get out of bed. 

“Where are you going?? Please don't leave….” Richtofen's voice broke halfway through the sentence, making Dempsey's heart clench as he turned to Edward and cupped his face, raising his eyebrows. “I was getting up to go shower and get in some better clothes- you know, start the day...you can come with me if you want.” Surprisingly enough Edward actually agreed without a second thought, jumping out of bed and gathering them both clothes and laying them along the bedside before he got towels, his hair out of place and messy as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Tank was already out the door and in the bathroom now, smiling a bit as he listened to Edward. Eddie squeaked from within the bedroom, (he didn't realize Dempsey left already) before Tank heard quick soft footsteps coming towards the bathroom and then,

pop! 

There he is. He went in and closed the door before setting the towels down and going to the shower, turning the water on warm before he started to undress, occasionally glancing to check if Dempsey was watching- He wasn't. He was brushing his teeth. Even if Tank had seen his body enough times to literally memorize every scar, every dip and curve, he still couldn't stop himself from being shy when it came to undressing in front of him. He slipped off the last piece of his clothing before he went in the shower, smiling at the warmth as he soaked his body and then his head, wiping the water away and pushing his hair back as he huffed. Tank joined in after a few minutes, sliding beside Eddie and nuzzling him affectionately as he helped him lather the soap into his hair- something about the way Tank could work his fingers so well made Edward addicted to his touch more so when Tank was allowed to work his magic. Even rubbing shampoo in his hair felt heavenly. Edward let out a soft content noise, smiling and relaxing as Tank scratched at his scalp in a gentle and comforting way, but then it was gone- Edward whined and Dempsey tugged him into the water, rinsing the soap off before he went and repeated the whole process with his own hair. Edward smiled and blushed before he got a washcloth and scrubbed himself down, doing the same for Dempsey's body afterwards. Tank let Richtofen continue as he so pleased- this was a bit oddly comforting. Richtofen usually stopped the moment he got to Tank's hips but today he was… 

Tank let out a soft moan, his cheeks heating up slightly as he looked down at what Edward was doing. Affectionate much? Edward was happily scrubbing at Dempsey thighs- and letting his other hand, all soapy, move in between his legs, rubbing at his shaft, though his hand was doing motions more suggestive than just cleaning. Dempsey leaned back against the wall to steady himself, shaking slightly as he rolled his head back and groaned- if only he was like this more often.. “E...Eddie...what….ah- hey-! Easy…-” Tank huffed and gave a weak buck of his hips, cheeks red as he panted. Edward had long since dropped the rag, and the water had washed away the soap so he had no excuse for ‘cleaning’ Tank anymore. But he didn't seem to care that much, despite the obvious blush he had, he seemed more than eager to do this. He was gone a day, not even- He was gone in less time than his work day. Eddie must have felt pretty bad then… Tank arched his back slightly and gasped, furrowing his eyebrows as he reached down and gently rubbed Edward's hands, pushing them away as he tried to calm down. “Eddie….I'd really love nothing more than for you and me to stay in the room all day and make up- in lots of ways.. but at the same time I want to spend the day with you. Hand jobs and sex can wait..at least until the end of today...okay? After that you can have me all you want..~” Edward's face heated up and he nodded, standing up and hugging Tank as he buried his face into his neck. “j-ja…. I mean- yes...okay Dempsey…♡” “Hey princess...guess what..” Tank kissed his head and grinned, laughing when Richtofen's response to the nickname was a groan. “What?” “I love you..” Edward blinked and smiled, snuggling into Dempsey as he cooed.

“I love you too….~♡”

 

~~


	14. ( Review/ important)

Okay so-

 

My tumblr is theonewhosins 

All lowercase-- I should pop up in have a Calvin & Hobbes picture

And that explains everything

 

But just in case, I'll say it here too.

I've been wanting to write something else for awhile but not mix up this story line with a bunch of others and I can't write a chapter based story while writing another chapter based story because that would be...

Too much.

So I've decided to take a little break from this story-

The next chapter should be out in two days or less, I'm not sure- it's a work in progress! 

In the mean time I'll try to write some mini stories that are entirely different from this!

 

Ò u Ó I shall get back to this story soon, don't worry! I promise!

Now to make other little stories c: ~♡

I hope you all have a good day!


	15. Zoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry.
> 
> I'm just so exhausted right now.
> 
> This is a long chapter-
> 
> It's about the normal length of four or five of my normal chapters all put together. 
> 
> Please forgive me for such a late update, I could only do a small fraction of the story every end of the week or so, sometimes I didn't have time to write a piece at all so it took even longer. 
> 
> I did go back and read over it multiple times, but the only real time I have to check and write is at 2 or 4 am, so I apologize if I missed anything and i have grammar errors.
> 
> But I really worked hard for this, I was brainstorming for days, changing and fixing and rewriting the script in my head for so long, I really hope you enjoy it!
> 
> ________________

_’Do you see where the orange fish is?’_

“Oh not this again- how the fuck do you not see it in front of you??”

“I want to throw the fish at her face.”

“I bet even if you did, she'd still ask where the fish was..”

 

Takeo came in and rose his eyebrows, staring at Nikolai and Dempsey before his gaze flicked over to the television screen that currently had Dora or….some rip off of Dora, playing on it. “Nikki, are we still going?” Nikolai perked up and looked at Takeo, giving a sweet smile before he nodded. “Of course~ Did you ask Edward?” Tank perked up this time, looking at Nikolai before he turned and gave Takeo a confused stare. “Ask him what..?” “You didn't tell Dempsey, Nikolai..?” Takeo glared at Nikolai in which he just whined and pointed at the screen. “It was her fault! She distracted me!” Takeo shook his head and then gave Tank a soft smile, crossing his arms slightly. “Nikki wanted to take me out for a date, but then we figured it'd be nice if we all got to spend some time together and have fun.” Tank tilted his head and then smiled at Takeo, scooting to the edge of the couch and draping his arms off the side, his right hand making a weak attempt to grab Takeo even though he was a good distance away. “So where are we all going then pal?”

Takeo walked up to Tank and grabbed his hand, idly playing thumb war with him as he spoke. “The Zoo- though it's a bit hot today, so you might want to dress comfortable and something that allows your body to breathe.” Tank moved his thumb and then managed to pin down Takeo's, grinning and giving a victory cheer before he looked up at him and poked his stomach. “Sure thing mom. You packing us all lunches next too?” Takeo flicked Tank's forehead and he whined in protest, covering his face before Tak spoke again. “Yes, actually. Edward and I are making some sandwiches to snack on while we walk around. Fast food is bad for you.” He turned and started to walk away, Dempsey calling out to him weakly. “But everything bad tastes sooo gooooood- I'd rather die young than get old without ever enjoying another burger again!” “Talk to your boyfriend about this, not me-!” Takeo replied before he disappeared into the kitchen, Tank letting out another loud protest. “bUT MOOOOOMMMM-” 

Nikolai snorted and laughed before he got up and gently poked Dempsey's side, making the blonde tilt his body in the direction of the tickle, curling up to protect himself as reflex before he glared at Nikolai. “MOOOOM- NIKOLAI IS MESSING WITH ME-” “STOP CALLING ME YOUR MOM-” Takeo hissed and poked his head out of the kitchen, glaring at them before he raised what he had in his hand to throw it at them. Nikolai and Dempsey's eyes went wide before the both scrambled off, shoving each other aside to get to their bedrooms. Takeo blinked in confusion before he looked at his hand and gave a soft chuckle. Oops. He forgot he had a knife. “I hope I'm not going crazy.” “You most certainly aren't, My dear friend. I asked you to cut the tomatoes for the sandwiches.” Richtofen's voice broke through Takeo voicing his own concern, he nodded, going back in and helping Edward as he smiled. 

Nobody paid enough mind to times like this- not even them, but when everything was good and they all smiled- they were family. 

Tank and Nikolai were helping each other get ready, debating on what was too hot to wear and what was too open-- after the events that drove the couples apart, and after a tall between them all, they had all seen where they went wrong. Nikolai and Dempsey were close- they were like brothers, just as Takeo and Edward, they all cared about each other in the end, and they all remembered that a family isn't supposed to be closing sides, it's meant for everyone to be in it together. Good times or bad. “What about this one?” Nikolai took out a dark grey shirt that had some random band name on it that he had long since forgot about. “Ahh...I dunno….it seems a little…” Tank frowned and gave a ‘so-so’ gesture with his hand before he shook his head finally. “Nah, that's too comfortable. That's like, wearing pajamas comfortable-” Nikolai nodded in agreement, he understood. He put it back and started to search again, humming softly. “So you and Richtofen made up? I heard you two in the shower..” Tank rolled onto his stomach before he pushed himself up and sat back, Nikolai's bed was comfortable- “Hm? Ah..well we did make up, but not like that. Edward was being surprisingly lenient with the touching and extra love- but I wanted us to spend some quality time together before anything like that yet.” Nikolai smirked and then gave a soft mocking coo. “Aww~ Tank, that's so sweet…” Dempsey rolled his eyes and then blushed, throwing a pillow at Nikolai. “Shut up, Mr.Teddy bear. What about you and Tak? Did you guys ‘join spirits once again to aline the holy love that you two have- mmpf-” Nikolai threw the pillow back and it hit Dempsey right in the face- but that didn't stop him from talking so Nikolai just talked over him. “Yes- we made up. He was awake still when we got here actually, he couldn't sleep.. so we talked, and then we...ah...ahem-” Tank grinned from ear to ear, jumping up and down on the bed like a child as he snickered. “Then what?~ You fucked him into the bed or something?” Nikolai threw a regular white shirt with a slight v-neck at him, grunting softly. "That's none of your concern.." "What?! You did?? Come on man, I'm _sitting_ on the very bed and you don't tell me? Groooss- ooh.." Tank lifted the shirt and looked at it. “Hey, this is a nice shirt-” “I know that's why I'm wearing it.” Nikolai stated bluntly. “Not...if I wear it first-!” Tank ran out with the shirt, laughing and nearly falling on his ass. “Wh- Tank!” Nikolai ran after him hissing softly which only made Dempsey run faster- Nikolai never addressed Dempsey by his first name unless he was serious.

Takeo and Edward listened to them fighting and the panicked girly scream Dempsey let out when Nikolai cornered him, the noise making Edward laugh softly as he finished making the last sandwich, Takeo washing his hands as he kept his own laughter in- but couldn't stop the wide smirk that spread across his face. 

“Give me the shirt!!” 

“GO GET YOUR OWN SHIRT!”

_”THAT **IS** MY OWN SHIRT-”_

 

*********

After all the ruckus- and after Dempsey finally gave Nikolai his shirt back- everyone was ready. Edward had packed a small basket full of water, sandwiches, fruits, and other small things for them to snack on until actual lunch time. He had his little sun hat on too, silly looking or not, it did wonders to keep him cool and not sunburnt. Takeo had gotten Nikolai and Tank to go in the car and stop fighting for who got to sit where, both of them eventually sitting in the back seat while Edward drove and Takeo helped with navigation in the passenger. They were like children sometimes.  
Tank was staring out of the window on the drive to the zoo, the cloudy sky was nice and almost inviting- He let his thoughts roam a bit. 

What if he had never met these losers?

It felt like a knife got stabbed right into the pit of his stomach as bile threatened to rise, he didn't know why, but trying to picture a life without see these three seemed more painful than he liked to admit. Dempsey jolted when he felt a hand on his shoulder, looking over at Nikolai who gave him a warm, loving smile. “Are you okay?”

Tank nodded in response, tears he didn’t know were there fading along with the thought as he stretched and grinned. “Yep! So Nikolai, where are you and Tak gonna go?” Nikolai shrugged and pointed to Takeo, offering a small unsure look. “wherever he wants really, I'm not completely used to the zoo.” Takeo piped in, giving an enthusiastic response to Nikolai's words. “How about we all stick together and go visit the monkeys first?~” Nikolai cringed and let out a soft growl. “Disgusting rats- why do people find them ‘cute’? They are repulsive- and they have eyes that stare into your soul-! They are demons!” Takeo laughed and Tank joined in, Edward keeping his focus on the road but he smiled and shook his head. He couldn't disagree with Nikolai, he felt the same- yet he saw them a little differently. Intelligent creatures- odd and sometimes disgusting, but still smarter than most animals. 

“Maybe we should get a pet monkey-” Edward muttered more to himself than the others.

“I'm moving out if you get a fucking monkey…” Nikolai glared at Richtofen from his seat

“what??” Takeo turned and stared at the Russian

“Me or the monkey, you choose-” 

“Wouldn't be much of a difference, would it?” Dempsey piped in and laughed, moving just barely out of the way to avoid being hit by Nikolai. 

 

*********

 

Despite Nikolai's words of distaste, they went and saw the damn monkeys first. 

Maybe it was on purpose- they all wanted to tease him for hating monkeys and warn him on trading him for one, but in any case he was sure they could all enjoy it. Dempsey was looking at a particular monkey, it was mimicking Tank's every move, and Tank, being the one and only Dempsey he was, of course was taking it bad and making a scene

“Hey! It was cool at first- now it's getting insulting! Cut it out!!” He waved the monkey off, and the monkey waved him off right back. “You little-” 

Takeo tugged Dempsey away from the glass, raising an eyebrow when the monkey followed them along its side of the wall. “...I think it likes you, Dempsey.” Takeo spoke as he grabbed Tank's hand and made him wave- the monkey waved right back. Richtofen was now fascinated by this, watching with interest as he smiled. “How cute~ Dempsey, you have a little friend!~” 

Tank growled and then crossed his arms, trying to look mean and intimidating, but that only made the monkey sit down and cross it's own arms. Nikolai was begrudgingly watching the monkeys, glaring at them all and muttering under his breath, one of them catching his bad vibes he sent off and started to misbehave, jumping around and screeching as it caused all ruckus. Dempsey and the other two looked up at the angry monkey, watching it run around before it went up to the clear window and banged on it, the people jumping slightly in fright as some of the zoo keepers came to see what happened. Nikolai felt a hand on his shoulder and then suddenly he was getting tugged away, eyes going a bit wide. “Hey-! Get- oh. Richtofen, don't you think you could give me a warning next time? I could have punched you in the jaw…” Nikolai grunted and stood properly, walking besides them all before he frowned. 

“Sheesh, Nikolai. Not even twenty minutes into a zoo and already you pissed off the poor animals.” Tank clapped, sarcasm clear in his voice as he spoke. “Good job pal, new record. Let's go see if you can piss off the Lions next- maybe they'll jump over the fence and give us all hugs- ow!” Takeo pinched Tank's side before he gave Nikolai a sweet smile. “It's hot out today, they are simply already in a foul mood. It's not your fault.” Nikolai blinked and gave a lovesick grin to Takeo, moving closer before he wrapped an arm around him and gave him a peck. “At least you have my back…~” Richtofen smiled and kept walking, looking around before he pulled out their map and tapped the side. “Where to next?” Dempsey mumbled as he looked at the map and hummed, nothing really catching his eye besides the snakes. “We could always go to the snake exhibit…? Or I mean I can go- since Eddie, I know you aren't a fan of them.” Edward nodded at Tank's words, a small shiver coursing through him before he shook his head. “I'd...much rather prefer looking at the birds. They have a large cage dedicated to all types and they let you touch them if they come near!” Takeo perked up, smiling as he listened to Richtofen. “That sounds peaceful.” Edward and Takeo made plans to go there together, while Tank and Nikolai decided to go elsewhere and meet back up with them at the tiger area. “An hour from now incase you guys wanna wander?” “That’s sounds good, maybe we can stop for lunch once we meet up?” “Sounds about right, it'll be lunch time by then anyway.” They split up and walked towards their places, waving and smiling to the others.

For the next hour, Takeo and Edward watched and examined all types of exotic birds, some even flew close and landed on one of them before flying off again. Tank and Nikolai were looking at the snakes, though Nikolai seemed slightly fearful of the king cobra behind glass, Dempsey was loving the hell out of it. He did get a little jumpy, one of the snakes was sorta pissed off that it had so many people looking at it that it snapped at the glass and gave a warning for the people to back off, which made Tank step back a good ten feet or so. Definitely didn't feel like getting it mad…..er. When it was time for them to meet up again the pairs both had their cool stories to tell, Tank rambling on about the Snakes to Edward while Edward listened and grinned, happy to see Dempsey so eager about something. They took turns talking, and Nikolai gave small ‘honest’ truths about how brave he was in there, Takeo doubting it but he played along, resting his arms on the table once they sat down at a place to eat. Tank let them have their peace, his hand resting on Edward's as he listened to him speak after he finished.

The way Edward went on about how fascinating they were, how they flew free and looked so majestic- it made Tank wish he had gone to see with him. But he was still happy he got to listen to Eddie's stories. “One had a sprained wing, the poor thing wanted to fly- and they let me hold it! So I gave it some bird seed and gave it gentle pets, I even managed to help it slightly, it gave me a bird kiss!~” Edward practically squealed, smiling as he laced his and Dempsey's fingers together. “I'm glad you enjoyed it love, I really am~ But- You need your energy. We all do actually-” Dempsey rubbed Edward's knuckles, lifting his hand and kissing it gently. 

Edward's face lit up, his cheeks going bright red as he looked away and shyly messed with the table, nodding as he huffed. Tank laughed and then let go of his hand, standing up. “Alright, I'm heading to order. You guys have anything specific you come with- otherwise I'm getting you all what I'm getting.” 

Nikolai looked to Dempsey before he pulled Takeo closer and gave him a deep kiss, smirking as he stiffened and blushed. He pulled back, gently rubbing Takeo's chin before he stood and casually slid off to follow Dempsey, both Edward and Takeo left flustered and embarrassed. 

 

After they all had finished eating- and thoroughly cleaned their hands free of any food smell- they all decided to go to a harmless place. The butterfly cage.

Tank surprisingly didn't have a problem with it, but Takeo did. He didn't like the idea, but Nikolai somehow convinced him it would be okay and got him to agree. When they got there they smiled- well, Takeo didn't but he warmed up to it slowly at least. Thousands of butterflies of all kind were in there, most resting on flowers from the mini garden or on the walls, but others fluttering around with ease, not at all alarmed by the presence of humans. Richtofen walked out into the middle, Tank following him as he grinned. It was beautiful. Richtofen held out his hand, staying still and it wasn't long before a butterfly flew in and landed gently on his palm, it's wings a vibrant shade of blue and purple, mixing together perfectly. Tank blinked, watching it and staying still like if he moved, it would affect Richtofen too. That was a very unique butterfly. “Whoa…are they all like that?” Edward looked at Tank, giggling at his expression. He looked like he'd never seen a butterfly before. It was cute. “Not all, but some are. It's very pretty isn't it?” Edward spoke gently, not trying to yell and scare the small creature away. Tank just nodded and stared at the thing, so confused and amazed that a butterfly could have this type of color.

Takeo was clinging to Nikolai for dear life, obviously afraid- as Nikki said- or unsettled by being here, as Tak said. Nikolai eased his worries, letting a few butterflies land on him before he chuckled. Takeo relaxed, holding his hand out, half expecting to not get anything, but to his surprise, he got a butterfly. On the very tips of his fingers, it fluttered it's wings, Takeo's eyes wide with astonishment before he gently shooed it away, watching it fly off. Weird little thing.  
He still didn't trust them, he stuck with the feeling that they could cause destruction. 

 

They all spent some more time walking around the zoo, taking pictures and just enjoying their day as a small family. By the time they decided to go home they were tired of walking and tired in general, Tank driving this time since he was the most aware at the moment, Takeo sitting in the back with Nikolai as he leaned on him and closed his eyes, Nikolai already near falling asleep as he leaned his head against the car window. Eddie was struggling to stay awake, leaning back against the seat as he frowned. It was so hot out today, and plus the walking and the crowds and the food-- it definitely made them all sleepy. It was a good day, but it was gonna be late soon...no it wasn't- it was six...or five? Tank wasn't paying attention to time, but the sun was still up so… he kept himself awake, driving and being slower than usual on the road. Rather safe than sorry. 

The moment Tank pulled into their driveway and turned off the car he started to tug Edward out, whining. “Come onnnn…..get up….” Edward blinked and huffed before smacking Tank's hand, getting out through his side before opening the back door and gently shaking Takeo, yawning. “Takeo….Nikolai...come on guys, we're home-” Nikolai woke up at the shaking, slowly blinking and stretching a bit before he looked down at Takeo laying with his head on his lap, smiling sweetly. He grinned and then gently shook the tiny man, but he didn't wake up. He was sleeping- having a good dream too. Nikolai just shrugged and opened his door while Edward closed Takeo's side, heading to the door with Dempsey as he huffed, feeling sluggish. Very slowly as to not wake his love, Nikolai picked up Takeo and got out of the car, closing the door with his foot before he carried Takeo inside with the other two.

Edward threw his hat aside and undressed to just his shirt before he went to his and Dempsey's room, sliding into the cool bed and getting comfortable, the gentle press of the blankets feeling heavenly against his aching feet, and it wasn't long until he fell asleep just like that.  
Nikolai went to his room and set Takeo in bed, undressing him a bit so he didn't overheat and sweat, he did the same and got beside him, falling asleep with his arm wrapped around his waist.

Tank had made sure the car was locked, the door was locked, the keys were put away- everything was good. He picked up Eddie's clothes along the way to the bedroom, smiling weakly before he stuck them in the dirty clothes basket and headed to the bed, kicking off his shoes and flopping right next to Eddie, who woke up again and hugged Tank, kissing him softly and smiling- but Dempsey was out the moment he hit the pillow, and that only made Edward smile more before he fell asleep once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Papa Dempsey is here my children, don't you fear!


End file.
